Jennifer Eikenhorst found herself in a life-altering moment when driving home with her young daughters. A rural road, a hill, and a tragic collision with a motorcyclist named David. Eikenhorst became a CADI, someone who unintentionally causes injury or death, a term coined by Maryann Gray of the Hyacinth Fellowship.
Chris Yaw, president of the fellowship, highlights that over 30,000 people become CADIs annually, with car crashes being the predominant cause. Eikenhorst, not criminally liable for the incident, advocates for reforms in the car-centric transportation system, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures.
While the Alliance for Automotive Innovation asserts that vehicles are becoming safer with technological advancements, pedestrian deaths reached a 40-year high in 2022, and overall traffic fatalities continue to rise. Despite innovations like exterior cameras and computer-controlled braking, the grim statistics persist.
In the first half of 2023 alone, an estimated 19,515 people lost their lives in traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Eikenhorst, a responsible driver, grapples with the harsh reality that adherence to the law does not shield one from tragic accidents.
She remarks, “A driver’s license is a license to kill,” drawing attention to systemic issues, including granting licenses to emotionally developing 16-year-olds. Chris Yaw emphasizes that CADIs don't view themselves as victims but acknowledges the profound impact of causing an accident.
Jessica Ward shares her experience, highlighting the warped sense of guilt even when one has taken precautions. She emphasizes the inherent danger of driving, despite advancements in vehicle safety. Isabella Chu from Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences attributes unintentional car deaths to a transportation infrastructure that forces people to operate inherently unsafe heavy machinery.
David Peters, an Episcopal priest, became a CADI in 1994 due to a momentary blindness-induced accident. Peters believes society must communicate the dangers of cars and dismantle systems that compel their use. He urges people to understand the peril of car culture, emphasizing that we are all one steering-wheel turn away from a potentially fatal accident.
These stories collectively underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and heightened awareness to mitigate the devastating impact of unintentional accidents on the road.
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