‘Hidden’ victims of road carnage

THE Road Safety Authority (RSA) is correct in saying there is no room for complacency in the ‘low’ number of road deaths; the true number is far higher.

The increased efficiency of emergency services and medical advances in keeping people alive means that more people are dying in hospital days, weeks or months later, and statistically are recorded as injured.

For the elderly, a relatively minor accident often results in death within months.

But according to the RSA, 42% of victims are under 25 so this represents an appalling loss of years of life expectancy.

Statistically, at present casualty rates it is odds-on that someone born today will be injured in a road crash at some stage in their lives.

As well as disability and suffering, many of these injuries start a chain of events that results in premature death.

In terms of years of loss of life expectancy, road crashes are worse than cancer.

The RSA points out that in relation to the amount of traffic, casualty rates have fallen.

But this is a general trend and the RSA cannot claim credit.

On the other hand, the RSA pats itself on the back for the fall in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, failing to accept that this is due to greatly reduced walking and cycling. In real terms the casualty rate per mile has rocketed.

The RSA’s pedestrian safety awareness campaign seeks to blame pedestrians for being hit by vehicles if they are not wearing reflective vests. However, this is not a legal requirement and few people do.

But it is a legal requirement for motorists to be able to stop within the distance they can see, which means in headlight range at night. Many motorists drive blind round bends, go too fast, take insufficient care and are generally reckless, but the RSA assumes that the victim is at fault.

The lack of footpaths on country roads and road crossings in urban areas puts people at considerable risk.

The RSA should be advising motorists to watch out for pedestrians and cyclists and to exercise their legal duty of care, not appearing to condone carelessness.

The only way to reduce road casualties is by radical reform such as the transfer of most passenger travel to public transport, severe restrictions and controls on drivers, the construction of safe paths for walkers and cyclists and charging road users with the direct and indirect costs of €10 billion per year. This would also tackle the financial crisis, global warming and peak oil.

The RSA simply provides a diversion and creates the illusion that something is being done.

Michael Job

Rossnagrena

Glengarriff

Co Cork