Sir, - John Waters, in his column of August 6th, refers several times to the "hysteria" about road deaths. I'm not sure what this hysteria consists of apart from a few dozen letters to The Irish Times proposing the radical idea of actually enforcing the laws already on the books. The 400 or so people who are killed each year on the roads would receive more attention if they died in almost any other manner.
Mr Waters also referred to the fatalities being an inevitable cost of road travel. If we accept that this is the case, then perhaps we should consider how high that level should be. As the UK and Sweden manage about half the mortality rate, we can assume that a 50 per cent reduction, as proposed by the EU, is at least possible. Or we could just be grateful not to be Portuguese.
As to the increased number of cars on the road, anyone who lives in Dublin knows why that has not caused an increase in deaths. The average speed of traffic in Dublin has decreased drastically in recent years. Few drivers can work up enough speed to dent their cars, let alone kill someone. The majority of deaths are now outside the main population centre.
It is correct to say that the rate of road deaths has fallen in the past 30 years. It is also striking that the decrease has stabilised recently, and the rate is decreasing very slowly, if at all. This is in spite of the improved safety of most vehicles.
The recent TV campaigns are merely an attempt to deflect the blame from pusillanimous politicians. Why is it assumed that it is possible to learn to operate high-speed machinery without proper training? Every amusement arcade in Ireland has simulators which teach children how to drive dangerously. Why not teach them how to drive safely? - Yours, etc.,
Julian West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada