Focusing on Donut Calamity, Media Erase the Driver in Crash

Here's another entry in "erasing the driver."

Where's the driver?

In a story today about a jaydriver crashing into a building, there is no driver. Instead, the story is about donut disruption, caused by the mystery of "a car [that] crashed into the building." 

It just fell from the sky! Who knows where it came from?!

The real problem in this framing is not the violence of cars and their drivers, even when not operated with malignant intent, but is the interruption to donut production.

Salem Reporter echoed this frame.

At Salem Reporter

But Keizer Times has the most accurate headline and summary.

At Keizer Times

Even when a car is used with intent as a weapon for murder, as happened last month in a Salem park, journalists sometimes mystify and protect the agency of the driver by use of the "hit by car" trope.

"hit by car" trope last month

But drivers are responsible for the safe operation of a motor vehicle, and we need language to reflect this responsibility; even if they did not intend to crash or to harm, they were steering and operating the motor vehicle, a machine with lethal speed and power. And when they did intend harm, they are definitely steering and operating a motor vehicle.

On erasing the driver - Columbia Journalism Review

Previously here, too many notes on erasing the driver. See also this old thread on drivers crashing into buildings. Buildings are generally well off the roadway! We should not blame people on foot and on bike, who are in the road right-of-way, for wanting more protection. Equally, that drivers can't seem to avoid buildings suggests we really understate the dangerousness of driving.