NRA is for guns as where do you think this major lobby that has members of national and state legislatures in the USA in their back pocket gets their money from? Guns are good for manufactures.
The USA military - industrial complex has vast influence on legislators and that is why in large measure why the US love those foreign wars - Cheney/Bush kind.
Cars are a good analogy and certain types of vehicles for off road use are not allowed on the road and you need training and a license to drive. Alcohol and drugs (incl. ethical drugs - prescription and over the counter) have a major role to play in crashes.
There used to more Americans killed each year in cars than in the entire Vietnam war where they lost over 57000 over the entire war. Road safety has become a priority and campaigns like increased seat belt use, safer cars, road blocks all year round in some places - all help.
Road safety programs to be highly effective touch on the 4 Es - Education - Enforcement - Engineering - Environment. Part of the obstacles in road safety is who pays. With hundreds or more auto insurers out there they only care about who they insure and gov't is usually interested in revenues from drivers to pay for roads, etc - not safety.
But you can't take your off course race car for drag racing or NASCAR on the streets. But you can take your assault weapons which fire hundreds of rounds in minutes! Insane.