If you know they are going to drink, take the car keys away from them

IT SEEMS like every Monday morning in the papers we are reading out the death toll from that weekend’s road traffic accidents.

Not just one fatality, but four or five at a time. And as you pointed out (Irish Examiner, July 7) a majority of the fatalities were in 20-25 year age group and the accidents occurred between 11am and 4pm. I would be much more interested in statistics telling me the blood-alcohol level of drivers in these fatal crashes, or if any traces of illegal drugs were found in their bloodstream.

Another important factor is the location of the crash. How often do we hear the newscaster say “the crash occurred on a lonely stretch of road”.

These crashes usually happen in the countryside. Transport Minister Martin Cullen says drivers should be more responsible. Excuse me, but a lot of these kids are more intent on sounding off their new car stereo than worrying about a sharp bend in the road.

I think parents, whenever possible, and bar staff, should be alert to the potential danger. If a son or daughter has just finished exams, or has returned from college or university, for example, the first thing they are going to do is contact their mates to celebrate.

The same applies to non-students who tend to party at weekends.

In cases where they are living at home, parents should ban them from driving — take the car keys away from them. Bar staff should stop serving drivers if they have had two drinks. In towns and villages there are only so many pubs and clubs, and bar managers should network and identify drivers who have had two drinks in their pubs and, if necessary, confiscate the car’s keys.

It’s not just up to drivers, it’s up to their friends and family and the people who are serving them drink. The responsibility lies with all of us.

Cormac Murphy, Jacob’s Island, Ballinure, Cork.