Drivers deserve better roads before penalties

I REFER to the story about Transport Minister Seamus Brennan and his proposals for a traffic corps and a points systems where one could eventually one's licence and livelihood (The Irish Examiner, August 5).

Most road deaths in Ireland take place between 11pm and 5 am, and are often drink-related or drug-related.

This Government extended the drinking hours in pubs, and never went to ask for increased police patrols at night, when most of these fatalities take place. Nor is there any mention of the dangerous state of some of the roads outside of the Dublin region.

Many of the roads in the West would not pass an NCT test if there was one for roads.

The Minister gives us half-baked ideas about more punitive measures against motorists, who pay the highest tax on new cars in the EU.

We also have road tax on cars while other EU countries have abolished it, high petrol prices and inadequate public transport.

Could the Minister not consider incentives instead of punishments to help motorists drive better? Or should we all swallow his suggestions and see a further erosion of our freedoms?

There are alternatives to a new Garda traffic corps. We could increase night patrols. We could increase the retirement age for gardaí from 57 to 60 years on an optional basis in return for a better pension deal, thus giving the nation 2,000 more gardaí within two years to combat this problem. Other options include reviewing the late drinking hours.

Give us a break, Seamus!

William A Thomas,

Strongfort,

Craughwell,

Co Galway