Letters to the Editor: Tyres play a major role in road deaths
Tyres have heat ratings which means the tyre can only reach a certain temperature. These are controlled by air pressure.
The issue with road deaths is very simple and it is down to distraction, lack of tyre knowledge, and bad roads.
Speed and drinking are not the causes. Look at the numbers of people caught speeding during slow down days, it is roughly 1% of the driving public. Look at the numbers caught for drinking and driving, and the figures will show similar rates.
When the Government invests in the real issues we will see real reductions. All our previous reductions in road traffic accidents can be linked to environmental issues such as scrappage deals and recessions coupled with advanced vehicle technology.
Tyres are the main safety aspect on every vehicle but most drivers have no idea about the tyres on their vehicles. Tyres have speed ratings, which means they have a maximum speed, which can be lower than national speed limits.
Tyres have heat ratings which means the tyre can only reach to a certain temperature. These are controlled by the air pressure. Tyres with the correct air pressure grip the road correctly, corner correctly, stop on time, displace the water on roads, provide the correct traction, and drive at a cooler temperature. All this vanishes when the air pressure is wrong.
Drivers should be mandated to own a handheld air pressure gauge and a home air compressor and all tyres should be checked once every one to two weeks, before 9am, and before the vehicle is moved.
A tyre with the correct air pressure will stop 20ft before a vehicle with incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres with correct air pressure will grip the road properly, whereas a tyre with under-inflated tyres will have limited grip on the edges of the tyre. These tyres are prone to aquaplaning.
Overinflated tyres will have limited grip in the centre of the tyre.
Tyres have roll resistance and load limits, which have huge impact on a vehicle. If the tyres are not adequate, they will not perform as planned.
Experts say alcohol reduces the driver’s reaction time, but badly-managed tyres reduces the vehicle’s reaction time.
If Ireland was an alcohol-free country, we would have the same number of road deaths and injuries. The people who are injured with soft to sever damage can have life-changing injuries.
Road signs, speed signs, roadside art, and branded vehicles are distractions, as are texting, onboard traffic information consoles, satnavs, phones etc. All of these should be banned.
Road signs should be over the head and in front of the driver, not to the left or right.
Roads should never be patched. Patched roads causes a vehicle to lose traction, and cause vehicles to swerve into walls, trees, ditches etc, or towards oncoming vehicles.
I have advised the junior minister and other ministers in the Government, but they really don’t know what they are doing. The RSA while home to good people the problem is the people in charge have no knowledge of tyres, air pressure, causes of accidents and therefore it will never change.
Dry January, although well-intentioned and beneficial in some ways, may have unintended negative consequences.
Granted, it can increase awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol and motivate some individuals to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Others may view it as an opportunity to save money at a lean time of year.
More significantly, others with problematic drinking will try to prove to themselves that they don’t have a problem. In truth, it isn’t that difficult to abstain for a month when one intends to return to old ways after that.
And it would be simplistic to believe that a short period of abstinence can effectively address the issue of problematic drinking.
In fact, individuals with alcohol issues may actually consume more in the months following dry January, as they desperately convince themselves that there is no problem.
For those truly seeking to assess their alcohol consumption, a minimum of three months of abstinence is necessary. It is advisable for heavy drinkers to consult with a doctor prior to embarking on this journey.
This extended period of abstinence provides an excellent opportunity to deeply explore how alcohol can impact one’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
If possible, it may be helpful to have a support system in the form of a buddy and to document the progress through a diary. There is also an abundance of freely and instantly availability of peer support help online.
It is pleasing to see that Keir Starmer is going to clean up British politics, the equivalent of running 100m in five seconds — a great ambition that is theoretically possible but unrealistic in reality.
If he wants to start with cronyism, he could first identify this by requiring everyone to wear their old school ties to work.4
Too many of one colour and they can all go, but someone will need to stay behind and turn off the lights.
It is a form of anti-prejudice: No one is excluded because of their skin colour, who they believe in, or their living choices, but rather included through the right connections.
Besides cronyism, he could also remove various deviant behaviours, lack of intellect, lack of honesty, and many other character flaws. Good luck, sir.
‘Audacious’ well describes Judge Gerard O’Brien and sexual predators in general (‘Conviction of judge should encourage other victims of sexual assault’ — David O’Reilly, Letters, January 1).
I am a survivor; preyed on by three perverts, two of them women. I am also a survivor of extreme violence which caused my sister lifelong disability — an undeniable horror story.
I have always been candid and outspoken. I exposed the predators in the media (when I lived in the US) and once here in Cork City. I will not be silent nor silenced. Ever.
I will always need support and therapy. A psychiatrist told me on a visit: “I am surprised you don’t hear voices.” I made my way to America where I graduated from New York University on The Dean’s List.
The perverts are dead. One of them was given a funeral honour guard. I know they each believed they had a right to commit these crimes. Audacious indeed.
It seems that a new right is emerging championed by local politicians throughout the country — the right to know the identity of any new future neighbours before they are allowed to reside in one’s neighbourhood.
The demands by local Dublin politicians after the Ringsend arson attack is the latest example of this ( , January 3).
If this is the emerging pattern of Irish local government where local politicians refuse to stand up and accept their civic duty to be truly representative of all their constituents rather than being the voice of the vocal belligerent few then they are doing local and national democracy a grave disservice.
While the people of Ireland look on in horror at the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, our leaders pay lip service to support for human rights and peace with justice in the Holy Land.
What Leo Varadkar can and must do is forbid permission for US warplanes landing at Shannon which are carrying armaments, death, and destruction, from the US to Tel Aviv.
Mr Varadkar can also reverse his party’s stance and remove his objection to the Occupied Territories Bill. Fine Gael’s fear that it may breach EU rules should be set aside in this awful circumstance.
We would have other EU governments’ support in any future challenge from Brussels.
I am sure Micheál Martin will also agree this is the optimal time to enact the bill in Ireland.
Our Government’s stand against the Israeli-US mass killing of defenceless Palestinians would have universal support and would also improve the public perception of weak and spineless leaders.
As an animal rights and habitat advocate, I hope that more attention is given to matters reported in ‘Wildlife crime cases up almost 40%’ (irishexaminer.com, December 29).
All outdated practices like these need to stop. There is no need in the times we live in to have such cruelty and destruction of our native wildlife.
Enchanting tales of hares, badgers, native deer, foxes, and all our beautiful creatures will be lost to the label of pest and vermin if it is allowed to continue.
Please keep bringing attention to this. If everybody could look out for crimes against nature and report them, many more habitats will be saved and cruel practices will, with any luck, be wiped out.
