I agree with CrossfireTrail. People think they know how to drive, or they just don't care. I think that the BIGGEST part of this problem is that we continually dumb it down for people. Every year, there are more stop signs, more traffic lights, lower speed limits, more waiting, slower moving traffic, and it just keeps getting worse.

The trouble is that we are busier and busier everyday. We have more places to be and more things we have to do. So what does our beloved Department of Transportation do? They slow us down even more. So we spend MORE time in our cars. People's natural response to this is that they multi-task. They do several things at once - drive, read, talk, eat, drink... whatever. OR: they get bored and simply don't pay attention.

The problem is epidemic and every effort that is made to make driving "safer" is only exacerbating the real problem.

Can anyone tell me why in my county (which has had constant population shrinkage for 30 years) it keeps taking longer to get anywhere? Less people + less cars does not equal slower traffic.

I know it's not the answer, but out of frustration I have to say we should consider making driving MORE dangerous, which MIGHT influence people to actually pay attention. Of course, we would have to survive the "weeding out" period - and a lot of people would die before the rest would "get it."

As it is, it will only get worse, until we develop some form of automatic driving where the car drives and delivers you to your destination. Either that or MUCH better mass transit.