The theories named in this article are hilariously transparent in their intention: "too much horsepower!", "speeding!", "fewer people wearing seatbelts!", and so on.

Cars have had a lot of horsepower for decades now; people have always gone over the speed limit, and besides it's usually people going slow who cause the most danger, especially when they sit in the passing lane; modern cars relentlessly beep and buzz at you when you don't have your seat belt on, I guarantee that's not the explanation.

How about, "all of this 'safety' and 'assist' equipment is not just overwhelming and distracting, but is causing people to develop bad habits, like not paying attention while they're driving?"

That's the most plausible explanation, since this "surge"-- which is B.S. anyway, why can't people be adults and decide what risks are acceptable to them-- coincides perfectly with the past couple of years, where every single freaking new car has these so-called "features".

The first list gives the bureaucrats more power, so those are the made-up reasons they'll use to double down on the things which are causing the problem. It's totally transparent. Acknowledging the latter would cause them to lose power, so they will never discuss that.

When I drive, my eyes don't leave the windshield-mirrors cycle. I don't have the radio on. I listen to the sounds around me, the noise of the tires on the road, the sounds the engine is making. I focus on the communication from the four tires and the road: what signals are they sending? I feel for the car's balance, and how the chassis is rotating. I have a constant mental radar of all cars around me, and I extrapolate their movements with my own, to anticipate potential problems.

Most of all, I relax and enjoy myself, as I push in the clutch, grab the next gear, and feel the rubber biting, propelling me forward. This all is the model I will be teaching my kids once they start driving.