I'm pretty sure any of the cops on here could tell us some very interesting (and hairy) stories about distracted (aka stupid) drivers.
Yep. If my emphasis on traffic early in my career taught me anything, it’s that many people have zero respect for/appreciation of the damage they can cause while behind the wheel. Examples:
Stopped a Honda and found that the driver was seated on another brand’s seat...which was in turn sitting on two cement cinder blocks. No bolts, just gravity...
Responded to a car fire. Turned out to be a dumped stolen in which they likely cut the fuel pump wiring while trying to hot-wire it. Their fix? Fuel hose running from the fuel filler tube, through the cabin to the engine, with a primer bulb (outboard engine fuel tank style) next to the passenger seat. We did get a chuckle out of imagining what the conversation would’ve been like in a pursuit...(“dude, pump faster, the cops are catching us!”)...
An F150 with a gas can in the bed, aftermarket fuel pump dangling from fuel line from the can, plugged into the cigarette lighter. The wiring was hot enough to burn your hand.
From my commercial vehicle enforcement buddy (some witnesses by me)-Numerous tractor-trailers with one or two functioning brakes, suspension members cracked through, etc.
A driver texting with one hand on one phone, talking on another to her ear and driving with her knees...on a 55mph highway...
My personal theory on all of the “safety” oriented automation in cars is that while helpful to many, they have allowed people to distance themselves further from the task of driving and feel like the car will mostly get them from point a to point b with minimal input on their part. Thus they then believe that texting, talking, doing makeup, and/or updating their twitbook/facespace/insta-whatever is appropriate as the car “pretty much drives itself” anyway.