Too speedy indeed

The Road Safety Directing Centre provided holiday accident statistics from around the country up to and including Saturday (published on Sunday, Jan 3). On closer inspection, however, the figures suggest they have been compiled with perhaps undue haste.

For example, if 88% of accidents involved motorcycles, pickups and private cars, what class of vehicles made up the remaining 12% (330 of total accidents)? I can only think of heavy trucks, coaches and mini-buses. For a sector driven by supposedly professional drivers, that would be an alarming figure. We learn also that drunk driving accounted for 30% of incidents, while speeding was responsible for 29%. Just how one separates those two figures is hard to fathom as they frequently go hand in hand.

It is also reported that a total of 75% of accidents occurred on highways and local roads. Where on earth did the other 25% happen?

Then we have the statistics on the time of day accidents took place and the age groups of those involved. With a bit of arithmetic, we deduce, though not stated, that 30% of accidents occurred overnight and that 42% of those killed or injured were under 30. I’m not quite sure what the significance of these figures is, however.

No doubt, further analysis will be forthcoming. I for one would like to know what percentage of casualties among motorcycle riders were wearing a helmet; how many roadside breath tests were done by the police; and did the increased speed limit play any part in the higher overall road toll compared with the previous year?

RAY BAN