Tbf the reason we treat autos risk like this is less about the extreme risk of autos and more about politics and culture.
There 1001 ways we could ensure that most of the cost and externalities of driving are not foisted on others, but we don’t do that because so many people drive and most vote, if they think getting fewer auto deaths means they’ll have to pay $0.01 for parking or that they might be 1% more likely to be caught when they speed, they reject it.
So instead we socialize it, pushing costs, inconveniences, injuries and death on others.
There 1001 ways we could ensure that most of the cost and externalities of driving are not foisted on others, but we don’t do that because so many people drive and most vote, if they think getting fewer auto deaths means they’ll have to pay $0.01 for parking or that they might be 1% more likely to be caught when they speed, they reject it.
So instead we socialize it, pushing costs, inconveniences, injuries and death on others.