Recall drivers?

From the "blogosphere," one of several interesting concepts: Recall drivers.

There has been much news coverage over the Toyota recall of many of their popular car models, the focus being on unintended acceleration (remember the Audi 4000?) due to sticky throttle systems, and faulty brake algorithms (what happened to direct-action hydraulic brake systems like the one on my 1972 Cutlass?). In short, nineteen deaths over a decade or so have been attributed to these problems, and eight million vehicles are perhaps going to be recalled as a result.

Counter this with over 400,000 deaths due to automobile crashes (from FHWA), in which anywhere from forty-five to seventy-five percent have as a major factor "driver inattention."

Los Alamos Bikes author Khal is now suggesting that, if Toyota is to face big-league excoriation over those nineteen deaths, the US Department of Transportation should also show outrage over the far more serious "faulty drivers" threat evinced by the huge number of crash fatalities.

I don't know to what degree this is "tongue in cheek," but it is being said to bring home the point--that finding mechanical solutions for inherent human problems is not addressing the problem.