I would argue that Europe also takes operating a vehicle more seriously than people here do. I lived in the UK for 3 years and thought I had died and gone to heaven on their motorways. It was awesome to actually drive on roads where people know how to properly use a passing lane!
In my opinion, the reason European roads are safer is because the drivers are taught that operating a motor vehicle is a privilege, not an entitlement. It costs hundreds of pounds in the UK just pass the driving test, and the tests are so difficult that it's very easy to fail. At testing facilities in Finland they teach learner drivers how to properly regain control of their vehicle by deliberately making the car lose control. I don't remember anything close to that when I was learning to drive here.
When I got back to the US, I instantly recognized that people don't know what they're doing on the roads, and it starts with how they were trained. It's very similar to how many of the riders I know wish that all drivers were required to take an MSF course just to raise awareness.
People here are poorly trained, and until all drivers are required to KNOW how to operate their vehicle, nothing is likely to change.