Improving the Quality & Safety of American Life Through the U.S. Legal System
Written By Kelly D.
We are very privileged to have a legal system that is structured to help prevent
injuries and save lives. Although there are many laws to help protect society,
this paper will touch on some of the more well-known legislation including highway
and vehicle laws, environmental and pollution laws, workplace safety, food and
drug laws as well as consumer product laws.
Fortunately, all of our public streets and highways are protected with highway
and vehicle laws that regulate speed and misconduct as well as maintenance of
the condition of the roads. Seatbelt and motorcycle helmet laws have helped
to drastically reduce accident fatalities. Since car accidents is the leading
cause of death for children, important laws were put into place enforcing parents
to protect their children with child safety seats. Drunk driving is a serious
and devastating crime against our society. Luckily, our legal system provides
strict regulations of the use of alcohol and illegal drugs and convicts those
that abuse those laws.
Environmental laws are also tremendously important and in place for our safety. Individual people and businesses may contaminant the water, air, and soil by their negligent actions. At the same time, automobiles, chemicals, garbage also cause harm to environment. Environmental and pollution laws and regulations have been put into place to prevent harm to our environment and keep the public safe. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with several acts passed through Congress, helps ensure the environment is protected from negligent actions causing harm to people and the environment. This agency conducts research to establish pollution control policies and monitors so that not only is our environment protected, but our society is as well.
Other governmental agencies also have been established to further provide for our safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) plays a very big role in establishing and monitoring workplace safety and health standards. OSHA is dedicated to improving workplace conditions, preventing injuries and, protecting the health of workers. This agency prevents tragedies every day by conducting on-site inspections to ensure the safety standards are being followed.
Another very important agency is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The group is responsible for the fact that the United States has the world’s safest food and drug products. This agency is responsible for disease control by setting food standards and conducting restaurant and food processing inspections. Using strict procedures, the drug manufacturers are required to show that a new drug is effective and proven safe to humans before making it available to the public.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) group helps to save lives and to keep families safe by reducing the risk of injuries and deaths from the hazardous products. Manufacturers are expected to abide by safety requirements established by this agency. The CPSC has the authority to remove from the store shelves any product they deem hazardous. A consumer product may be found to pose a significant risk by being defective or not meeting safety standards and will be recalled by the manufacturer so that public will be kept safe. Some of the products banned by this group include fireworks, cribs, and toys.
Although some people feel we are too regulated, the various federal and state safety laws are established and enforced for our well-being and protection. Even though it is not perfect, the legal system does its best to protect the innocent. We are very fortunate to live in a society that has the best legal system in the world.
