Driving in Israel

Things have not changed much. Driving in Israel today is still a “madhouse”, and many of the drivers are still nasty – the only difference being that in 1957 there were fewer drivers on the road. Since it was less crowded, “you were always moving”, as the author puts it.

In addition to an aggressive driving culture, the roads were in bad condition. There are many more vehicles on the road, thanks to strong economic and population growth. This makes driving even more dangerous. So despite the fact that Jews have assembled from the four corners of the earth to the land of Israel creating a unique diverse culture, many seem to drive the same way – in a rush, with no cheshbonot (taking nothing into account, including their lives and other people’s lives).

The Israeli government throughout the years has spent billions on new roads and tunnels, and has invested more millions trying to change the driving culture. Unfortunately, Israel’s fatalities from traffic accidents surpasses its fatalities in wars. The arrogance of the drivers continues – tailgating, speeding and overall reckless driving.

Ironically, it was Israeli genius which developed WAZE and the “Mobile Eye”, which sends out warning beeps if your car veers into another lane or gets too close to another vehicle. While such innovations may make driving safer, as long as Israeli drivers continue to conduct themselves aggressively and do not adopt safer driving habits, the carnage will continue.