Between thirty and forty thousand people die each year in motor vehicle accidents in the United States alone. In terms of loss of human life, that is the equivalent of ten September 11th attacks every year. And that’s not counting those who are seriously injured, or those in other countries. How many of us don’t know someone who was injured or worse in a car accident? The families of auto accident victims suffer no less and are no less innocent than the families of terror victims but they get a lot less attention. A large percentage of these deaths could be prevented if people would drive calmly and obey the law when it comes to speeding, tailgating, drunk driving, and obeying traffic lights.
Would you feel embarrassed to be seen sending a donation check to Hamas? If so, you should be embarrassed to be seen driving aggressively or speeding. That includes driving 36 mph on a Brooklyn street, where there are inevitably many pedestrians, bicyclists, children, stopped cars, etc., and it certainly includes driving 100 mph or even 60 or 70 mph on a New York highway, where onramps are short, there are no shoulders, and visibility is often limited. Just because you think you are a skilled driver doesn’t mean that speeding won’t reduce your ability to avoid a serious accident if something suddenly happens on the road. Even though your intentions may be less evil than a Hamas terrorist, your actions cause just as much damage and you have just as much blood on your hands if you drive that way. Not to mention chillul Hashem if you are ticketed or get into an accident because of such driving.