Hey, you are preaching to the wrong guy. Thirty-plus years accident and insurance claim free driving in as many years: cars, motorcycles and aircraft.
Change attitudes? Maybe less red meat in the diets and throwing the TV out the front door might help. 
Yeah, because Bavaria is full of vegetarians...
Maybe our excuse is bad genes then. You tell me why we drive the way we do.
Let me give you an example and tell me if I am right or wrong. In Toronto, there is a long delay before lights at the intersection turn green. This was 'suppose' to make sure that the intersection is clear of all traffic before cars in the opposite direction start to go. In fact, what people do is take advantage of that delay and continue to barrel through the intersection in order to 'make the light'.
On the other hand in Vancouver, there are no delays in traffic lights. Everyone knows that once your light turns red, the light in the opposite traffic direction has already turned green and cars are going to start going, so you know not to keep going through the intersection when the light is read.
Quality drivers ed. like in some European countries mentioned in this thread, should be mandatory and the law. Right now, you can be taught to drive by anyone ...or no one and still take a test and pass. I think that the key goes back to better driver education. Let's get serious about it. I think it is a good option.
By the way, when I drove in Vancouver through a residential street and there was no sign at the intersection you had better believe that I slowed down and made darn sure there was no one barelling through the other way
