Young men leaders in road carnage

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 287, 23 May 1989, Page 3

Young men leaders in road carnage

Harsher drink drive penalties appear to have little effect on road fatalities involving alcohol, Christchurch district coroner Neil MacLean bclieves.

Increasing numbers of road deaths, especially over the last five years, were caused by a combination of factors such as the young menmo torcy cle-speed- alco - hol-late night syndrome, he finds. Random stopping and breathtesting, introduced during the period, provided only low detection rates of driving while under the influ-

ence. They did little to discourage it. And the public would have become accustomed to constant blitz-levels of policing. The answer is to change people's attitudes, and education should begin at home, the coroner believes. The problem is that many parents are unwilling (or unable) to tcach children respon-

sible attitudes towards driving and alcchol. Young men in packs, driven by peer pressure, are difficult to control. An old car with poor steering capability, worn tyres and packed with youths who have been drinking, is an accident waiting to happen, he says. Escaping apprehension involves luck because almost everyone has driven while under the influence. "If you can survive to the age of 25 the chances of involvement are con-

siderably less," be believes. It is rare for young women to be driving a vehicle involved in a fatality. They are mostly passengers. Mr MacLean encouraged his 16-year-old daughter to sit her driver's licence as early as possible, to avoid having young men for transport. "Young men, however, should be prohibited from driving until they are much older, possibly 20. While this is discriminatory, until

they demonstrate sufficient maturity they should not have access to motor transport." Mr MacLean applauded the tougher licensing procedures introduced recently, but says they don't go far enough. It should be harder for young men to qualify. A driving test should be accomp-mied by a psychological test for maturity. Neighbourhood taverns, lo- , cated within easy walking distancc, replacing the need for long drives

to the pub, are part of the answer, he said. "It would be cheaper for the Government to fund $300 worth of taxi fares a year for all teenagers, than continue bearing the health costs of accidents caused by drink-driving.

After two, three, four, five or even six deaths in an inquest day caused by drinking and driving, you feel quite sick. You feel that anything you say to parents will be inadequate."