Back-in-times by 2020
THE EDITOR: It has been suggested by some individuals that the age for obtaining a motor vehicle driving permit should be increased from the present age of 17 years to 21 years, with a view to reducing the amount of vehicular accidents on the roads of this country. No statistics have been offered to support the premise that any of the accidents occurring on our roads involve drivers between the ages of 17 and 20 and I will venture to state that, from the reports in the media to date most of the drivers involved in road accidents especially those of a fatal nature are well over the age of 21. Accidents do not happen but are caused either by human or mechanical error or failure. Most private vehicles are seldom if ever checked on a routine basis for mechanical condition except at the time of compulsory bi-annual inspections, especially with regard to the condition of suspension, steering and brake systems and even water, oil and brake fluid levels are not checked at regular intervals as they should be. Even tyre pressure is neglected until a tyre goes flat on the road. Alcohol and drugs also play an important part in the accident rate as can be seen from the hours at which they occur and the days on which they do, usually on a weekend after returning from a night out in the town. Another contributing factor is that our society has become a grossly lawless one in every aspect and although the old Road Traffic Ordinance of 1933 has all the necessary rules and regulations even without all the amendments and additional new laws, no one pays any heed to the law and drivers continue to drive in a reckless and dangerous manner, well in excess of the authorised speed limit, fail to stop for red traffic lights, overtake dangerously, cut in and out of traffic as they please, overtake on corners and on bridges and at the crest of hills where it is impossible to see oncoming traffic and breach the law with impunity in every possible respect. At the rate at which we are progressing backward in almost everything, it should not be too long before we return to the stone age, quite possibly by the year 2020? MARTIN KAVANAGH La Romaine
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"Back-in-times by 2020"