Yes, yes, absolutely. That was my point: change laws to bring punishment in line with crime.
Car design is, after regulation has been accounted for, simply ignoring or forgetting its role in safety for everyone. Cars focus way too much on driver entertainment in a super comfy place to relax, and occupant safety. Drivers are being set up to fail. That then seems to be a distinct hole in regulation. Air, rail and industrial sets up for safety first.
Road design remains too car-centric. We know shared street designs with equal priority for all users increase safety for all, yet they are the exception not the rule. Cyclists and pedestrians shouldn't be second class users except on restricted highways and motorways.
Inter-city should be either low-speed (max 25Km/h) electric golf-buggies, trams, buses, light-rail or cycling or walking.
Cars are a temporary aberration that relied upon apparently cheap energy and resulted in a selfish, aggressive privatization of public space.
Time for their misuse to be curtailed. (Leave them to the emergency services).
As a pedestrian/cyclist/driver I'd love to see cars that are basically motorized tents weighing something like 100kg. That would make me feel much safer when outside the car, and much more considerate of others while inside.
Considering the number of vehicles that are single occupant, it's an incredible waste, and mostly needless. That's quite apart from what could be saved by appropriate public transport.
An attentive driver placed in a car with current permitted distractions - far in excess of 30 years ago, or 70 years ago when traffic laws started accumulating - radios, hifi, visual displays and touch screen UIs that increasingly need lengthy attention rather than glance, thickening A B and C pillars over the years - for rollover, airbag and space to stick more driver toys, is to a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist a fucking liability in need of immediate life-long ban. I try and remember this attitude when I get in my car...
There are no robust mechanisms to keep drivers responsible. It's expected everyone will speed, get tickets, accumulate parking violations. Penalties for offences whilst driving are often extreme in their leniency compared to same impact caused by other means. Driving offences are considered entirely separate from the "rest" of a criminal record.