In a September 4 speech at the National Conservatism Conference, Sen. Joshua Hawley (R–Mo.) bemoaned the rise of artificial intelligence, listing, among other complaints, "Only humans ought to drive cars and trucks." This sentiment isn't only anti-innovation, it's a dangerous line of thinking when it comes to the realities of road safety.
Each year, more than 40,000 Americans die in auto accidents. State-by-state statistics show that nearly 1,000 Missourians—Hawley's constituents—died in auto accidents in 2023. The vast majority of these accidents are caused by human error. Although the exact number varies, as accidents often have multiple causes, studies over the years have found that human error caused or contributed to between 90 percent and 99 percent of auto accidents. Of course, many people operate vehicles safely, but this significant death toll caused by human drivers ought to make us open to safer solutions.
