Roll out solar cameras for safe roads
If we are serious about reducing the road toll (due to speed), then a deterrent after training and education is the only way to move forward, not just for the drivers but also the victims and families of the driver, passengers, roadworkers, the public and their families.
We have the technology to do this on every road in New Zealand. We could start with the hot spots, then move down the risk scale.
Why are we not uni-tising solar more? We can install speed cameras and have these set up to transmitters so the information can be sent to passing police vehicles.
People may think the Government is just revenue collectors but the money collected could go towards setting up more of these solar cameras. To help, cost could me met by businesses by owning these. I’m sure the business I work for would happily support this type of initiative to reduce the pain of loss due to speeding drivers.
Don’t think of this as a cost, but as an investment for our future. Alan Goy Prebbleton
Don’t be silly over jandals
In the Drive section of Saturday’s
Press under ‘‘Some summer silly questions’’ was one relating to driving in jandals. In line with the advice of the road safety experts mentioned, it is in my view both silly and irresponsible to drive on a public road wearing any footwear other than a decent pair of shoes or boots, preferably with non-slip soles. The fact that wearing jandals is not illegal is irrelevant, especially given the current road carnage.
Also mentioned was resting elbows on the door sills of opened windows as a sociable thing to do. I recall many years ago warnings about this practice, due to the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision. Another silly practice that ought to be discouraged. Neiel Drain Burnside
Cars will always take toll
I noticed how underlined its Saturday front-page story about road casualties in Canterbury with an automobile advertisement.
For as long as people drive cars there will always be a road toll; and, for the convenience of unlimited private automobile use, drivers tolerate this bloody toll. Until things change, stories like this one will only add a gloss to a tragic and wholly avoidable year-in, year-out epidemic.
How about a front page ad for bicycles next time? Jason Collins Strowan
Driving home the message
front page (Dec 30) drives home the human cost of the road toll. Pleas from police and others to drive safely have no impact.
The issue of impaired drivers aside, the carnage on our roads can be attributed to the fact that a high percentage of drivers ignore the road rules; also texting while driving is still common. Making a driver licence more difficult to get and raising the driving age is necessary, with schools playing a part in inculcating good driving habits. Additionally, it is necessary to make roads safer to drive on.
In the short term there needs to be a significant increase in the number of police focused on traffic policing only. The number of cameras in hot spots needs to be increased. Draconian penalties for the worst offenders must be imposed. And penalties imposed by the courts have to be properly enforced. Those who have proved themselves to be reckless drivers should have their cars confiscated. The failure to take these steps will see the carnage continue, and those responsible for that failure will have blood on their hands.