January 18, 2015

Dear Sir,

Contributors to the carnage on our roads are NOT only the deaths we hear of but are also the survivors of the incapacitating injuries that are driving our health and vehicle insurance higher and creating heavy burdens on the caregivers of the maimed victims of road accidents.

We should publish the numbers of terminally injured alongside the deaths figure.

I am sure it would be enlightening and sobering.

A serious situation that demands tough decisions by the politicians. These initiatives based on my points noted below they propose would ask of the importers/retailers to alter their business plan?

From my perspective:

•Cars, far too large for the existing roads and too tall for that matter, so cyclists have difficulty peering over and the 3rd lane is narrower than was traditional.

Cars too large for existing parking bays too (and motor bikes..corp of Hamilton issue).

Stop importing these upper registration class of vehicle.

•Bikes (motor bikes) that can reach 70 Kwhr straight from the showroom; who needs them that fast?

Speeding gets you to your destination seldom faster due to so much traffic on the roads. Find alternatives to such high horsepower.

•Single sale beers and miniature liquor bottles sold at liquor and convenience stores of 1 nip, easily purchased; stop the availability.

•The TCD vehicle licensing test for cars and motorbikes is a joke. Make these tests more practical and stringent before giving someone a licence to kill.

•Consider some sleeping policemen installations. I can name Rod road as the perfect place for starters.

The change for the better can occur if we are truly serious about stopping the anti social behavior on the roads. Can the politicians make those tough decisions?

Refrain from expensive options, as we don’t have the money, so let’s start with a grass roots campaign. The above can be in place very quickly at very little costs to the tax payer; lets avoid expensive knee jerk reactions; begin now with pro-active measures and not re-active ones, even though the situation does demand our human empathy.

MCFB,

DRIVING SLOW WILL DO