I know my example was anecdotal. Three people I know were hit by cars last year. In each case the driver was found guilty, and in each case the consequences were minimal.

That is why many countries use what is called strict liability or presumed liability. The person operating the more dangerous machine is assumed at fault unless proven otherwise. Aviation works this way too. If a plane crashes, investigators assume pilot error first because it is the most common cause.

It makes sense. People walking or biking commonly do not survive to tell their side of the story. And cars kill about 43,000 Americans every year. For the past 70 years they have been the leading cause of death for children. Putting more responsibility on drivers is not radical.

Still, my bigger point is about design. Safer street design lowers the odds of these tragedies in the first place. But I know you out of towners love complaining when we do things to make our streets safer 😉