Madam, - Kevin Myers (An Irishman's Diary, December 18th) hit the nail on the head regarding the much maligned word "accident".
The driver of the car who killed three persons chose to drink and then to drive his car at up to 100 m.p.h. on the Dublin-Galway road. Nobody twisted his arm to get into and drive the car at such speed. Nobody put a gun to his head.
Is it not time the courts recognised such acts as fully deliberate and that newspapers reported the result of this type of crime (for this is what it is ) not as accidentental but deliberate. The law should be changed to bring back the charge of manslaughter for such crimes instead of the lesser charge of dangerous driving causing death. In the case referred to by Mr Myers the charge brought by the State was an insult to the victims and families. - Yours, etc.,
JAMES PURCELL, Hampton Cove, Balbriggan, Co Dublin.