Many people have seen those dreaded flashing lights in their rearview mirrors. Getting pulled over for traffic violations is not uncommon at all and it never ceases to ruin a good day. After getting a ticket or a warning, you may wonder why we even have traffic laws at all. What good do they do?
Traffic laws are a vital part in keeping the roads safe for everyone. Getting tickets and warnings for violating those laws are simply a necessary punishment to teach people that what they did was not only wrong, but possibly dangerous.
You are not alone on the road. There are millions of other people sharing the road with you in cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles and more. There are also plenty of pedestrians that share the road as well. Obeying traffic laws not only keeps you safe, but it also keeps everyone around you safe as well.
Traffic Law History
Traffic laws existed long before the automobile ever saw the light of day. Traffic for carriages, horses and foot traffic needed to be regulated on roads in order to protect people. As the automobile appeared and gained popularity, laws needed to be changed and created in order to accommodate the higher speeds and higher danger.
Sometimes It’s The Little Things
Even the small things that seem like no big deal, like a broken tail light, can be dangerous. A broken tail light could confuse the motorist behind you. Are you braking, turning or both? Another example would be seat belt laws. Many people find seat belt laws to be troublesome and pointless.
It should be up to the person driving whether or not they want to wear a seat belt, right? Seat belt laws are put in place in many states because a seat belt can be all that is between you and the pavement. The police don’t want to see any blood spilled when they deal with any collision. They want everyone in the accident to be unharmed. If a simple click of the seat belt can prevent a loss of life, it is worth it to enforce.
Imagine A World WIthout Speed Limits
The major laws have obvious benefits. Imagine a world without speed limits. People would drive as fast as they please, while others would still drive slowly. This could cause an insanely dangerous situation on the road. Running a stop light or stop sign could cause a terrible collision with another car or pedestrian that is also trying to cross. Then there’s the worst of them all, drinking and driving. Without a law against that, the road would be far too dangerous to go out on.
Operating Motor Vehicles
Traffic laws are also beneficial because they have changed the way people approach operating motor vehicles. With laws in place to regulate traffic, most people try to be good motorists and abide by them. They may not remember every little thing from driver’s education, but they try their hardest to abide by traffic laws.
The idea of an expensive ticket to pay off or even the looming threat of losing your license can intimidate people into being responsible drivers. Intimidation may not be the ideal way to make people into responsible drivers, but sometimes punishment is needed before people learn how to drive safely.
Traffic laws are put in place to save the lives of everyone on the road. Abiding by them may be a chore sometimes and getting a ticket may be put a damper on your day, but remember that they are there to keep everyone, including you and your family, safe from harm.
Christopher Steven is an avid blogger from Tulsa, Oklahoma who is passionate about encouraging safety for all communities while working with the Gorospe & Smith Tulsa Personal Injury Lawyer Law Firm in his own community to educate and promote safety and accident prevention.
