The Road Toll

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 12

The Road Toll

Sir, —Gimmicks are all right for pop singers, but only practical measures by sincere administrators will save lives on the roads. The suggestion of Colonel T. E. Lawrence that the motor car should be made even more suicidal is frankly sickening. As for testing and training, the present examination for a driver’s licence is reasonable, and full competence can only come later with experience. Training is necessary to pass the test, but there is no guarantee that a driver who is most highly trained and who has passed the most stringent tests, will drive within the law. Effort must be diverted to catching the law-breakers, and only for these should special training, more. severe tests, clinical examinations, ant perhaps such gimmicks as speed-governors and identifying plates, be resorted to.—Yours, etc., VARIAN J. WILSON. January 13, 1966.

Sir, —1 feel that one important factor is never mentioned in these discussions. It is obvious that the best way to avoid accidents is to keep off the roads. No authority, except in wartime to save petrol, has ever said, “Is your journey really necessary?” Every person with the urge to turn on the ignition should ask himself that question. Too often a long and exhausting “holiday” trip is undertaken because it's the thing to do. The image of the whole country careering round like a swarm of misdirected ants appals me—l stay home and enjoy a good rest. Roads are dangerous places. If a schoolmaster took his school of 500 children to a place where they would all be killed he would be regarded as a monster—but he just needs to go out the gate to find exactly that place. Is it asking too much to request the authorities to start a campaign at leaving the roads to those who must use them? There’s no pleasure to be found on our roads—let's keep off them!— Yours, etc., PINITUS. January 13, 1966. [This correspondence is now closed.—Ed., “The Press.”]