Then there is the problem of traffic engineering, meaning the process of "cutting roads through the social world."

"The traffic world and the social world are shouting at each other," he writes. Utah drivers know about those things because many of our roads have "disappearing lanes," which cause drivers to instantly regroup. Ordinarily, this would be considered a traffic engineering problem, and a major cause of accidents.

For years, traffic engineers have been teaching "passive safety" in road design, suggesting that a driver who makes an error is likely to come to a stop about 30 feet off the road. This means there must be ample "clear zones" to absorb what otherwise would be an accident.

This is a well-written, important book that should hold the interest of anyone who drives a car.

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E-mail: dennis@desnews.com