I think cars are man’s greatest invention, and it has widely been seen by society as a convenient mode of transportation. However, though they are one of the key discoveries to have changed the way the world progresses, the invention has also been criticised by many environmentalists as they play a significant role in causing a handful of deaths each decade. Coming into the industry as a whole, the history of cars date right back to 1769 when Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot first created steam-powered vehicles. However, in 1885, Karl Benz invented and drove the first car to ever run on petrol or gasoline, and since then the industry has never looked back. Today, the feeling of driving a car is much more than just reaching from one destination to another, it is a thrilling experience capable of creating an incredible sensation in one’s world. Cars, as we perceive them today, play an integral role in our life. Despite the thrill, they are also responsible for a large number of accidents, and have contributed to over millions of premature deaths around the globe. With technology progressing, our quest for human safety has significantly dipped, as today, several have become reckless drivers, crossing speed limits and failing to realise that at the end of the day, they are only machines. They are devices, programmed by human beings and can malfunction at any given time. We need to understand that, the more we push our technological boundaries, the more we could also be damaging our safety.
- The reader is a student of journalism in India
