SUV bull bars are deadly weapons – take them off

THERE are increasing numbers of SUVs on the road armed with bull bars, despite them being proscribed under EU directive 2005/66/EC.

The RoSPA (Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents) in Britain estimates that “safer car fronts would save about 2,000 lives and 18,000 serious injuries annually on EU roads”.

The British government’s road safety strategy states that “safer car fronts could reduce serious and fatal pedestrian injuries nationally by 20%”.

But the new Rules of the Road booklet here makes no mention of this, astonishingly claiming they do not necessarily endanger pedestrians and cyclists, The rules were revised by a team comprising the AA and a number of state functionaries, with no one representing pedestrians, cyclists, victims or genuine road safety interests, nor even the gardaí.

With the Road Safety Authority, the Department of Transport and the gardaí displaying their usual wimpishness towards pedestrian safety, I appeal to those with vehicles fitted with bull bars to examine their consciences and remove these deadly weapons?

Michael Job

Rossnagrena

Glengarriff

Co Cork