From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Why are people so afraid of flying when the real danger is on the road every day?

The real danger is on the road every day.

By Katie Ackley
Cooper City High

April 24 2008

It's hard to argue against being able to drive without the questions of "How do I get to work?" and "How do I hang out with my friends?" coming into play.

But in all honesty, those points hardly add up to the constant stress attached to driving. Not to mention the permanent hole it makes in your wallet, what with consistently more expensive gas and maintenance, insurance payments and what-not.

Oh, and gas prices. Did I mention rising gas prices?

But even if you don't think the money is that bad, which just so happens to be my personal complaint, let me stress … well, the stress of driving in general.

There's the sudden adrenaline rush (and not the good kind) every time you see a police car on the side of the road. There is the occasional ticket nightmare. And car accidents? Let's not even go there.

Why are people so afraid of flying when the real danger is on the road every day, maybe even every couple of hours?

If that's not a major stressor, nothing is.

Of course, if you want to get political, there's also the seriousness of global warming, a problem that could be addressed if some people would only car pool or ride their bikes.

Which brings up another good point: Who doesn't want to stay fit? I know that you can't necessarily jog from Davie to Aventura, but if you need to go buy groceries, why not walk or ride your bike? It helps you lose weight, is potentially safer and less stressful than driving and doesn't require a license.

For those of us with siblings, we know that being allowed to drive is really just parental consent to drive our siblings to and from school, camp, practices etc. Those without younger brothers and sisters can get a taste of this just through friends. (Can you give me a ride home? Can you pick me up before practice? Etc., etc.)

When driving is no longer about our own freedom, is it really worth it?

Driving is a privilege. I can't argue with that. But don't forget how much time, money and sanity is spent, maybe even wasted, on driving.

Just think about everything you could be doing with the money saved or the effect just one less car would have on our environment.

Is driving worth it? Maybe for some people, but I think there are less dangerous, difficult and stressful ways of getting around.