Solution to speeding

Dear Editor: Photo radar is a stopgap measure at best. It doesn’t assign points so you don’t get chronic speeders off the road.

It still makes speeding enforcement a lottery and most people think they won’t get caught — and they are right. If you seriously want to end speeding, you have to put speed control systems in cars.

Other safety measures are already mandatory, like seat belts, air bags, stability control systems and ABS. Autonomous driving is a few years away, but speed control could be implemented now. Cruise control can hold a specified speed. Automatic braking systems are currently available on many cars, which could be used to control excessive speed caused by gravity on downslopes. GPS navigation systems know the speed limit at any given location and some already warn you if you start to speed.

If you combine these systems, you could virtually eliminate speeding. There would have to be an override, for limited time periods, to enable safe passing. But this would be accompanied by a warning message to avoid abuse. If such a speed control system was made mandatory on all new cars photo radar would be unnecessary.

Having vehicles unable to exceed the speed limit would also save gas, reduce pollution and discourage car buyers from buying optional high horsepower motors — a win win. Steen Petersen

Nanaimo