Anyone driving... please take it easy. I'm tired of deaths.

Biggins

I was in court today for the second time in recent weeks.

The basic details of some of the cases were for example:

That two young lads after finishing work jumped into their cars outside a shopping centre and decided to race home. Driving at 70+ (that's what was on the speed dial at crash point) one car did not make the turn and rolled.
The said driver died having not being able to get out of his car. He was knocked unconscious and the seatbelt of his car got caught around his neck. According to the coroner, it wasn't the belt that was the main cause of his death but the knock to his head that lead to further complications...

Another man was killed in Ardee a while back and the case was finally closed today. One driver got 7 years for reckless driving and banned for life. He managed to kill someone you see by his driving. He caused a crash....

Another case, two vans ran into each other (in town). It wasn't their whole fault someone stepped out and they tried to swerve but they were going at such a speed that they couldn't stop in time and killed the predestrian....

Another case, a person on a motor bike was driving home and speed too fast around a corner, his bike wheel hit a stone and he went head over heels losing his life when he landed....

My point and question is:
Will we as a nation of drivers ever see the day when people actually behave themselves behind the wheel, slow down and stop killing others?

I'm personally getting tired of having to attend court and become involved about these sad events.

Its a loss of life that could have been so easily avoided. Its depressing.

Vegeta

Biggins wrote: »

My point and question is:
Will we as a nation of drivers ever see the day when people actually behave themselves behind the wheel, slow down and stop killing others?

No, even if there is zero stupidity on the roads (highly unlikely as people, myself included, are stupid sometimes) there will still be a baseline figure of deaths, caused by genuine accidents. For example a good friend of my dads was killed when a car coming in the opposite direction had a wheel fall off. No ones driving at fault, just one of those things.

Biggins

Sadly true, but the cases that I get involved with are the ones that are avoidable.
So, so many cases (details which has been given to me) has consistantly shown that many of these "avoidable" cases could have never happened if speed was JUST reduced.

Ther was another case today where a man was crushed to death at his work place. By what or whom I can't say as the case is still open and under investigation, but speed again was a factor in something.

I truely find it depressing that we can't kop on and slow down.
Its a shame because so much pain and loss could be easily avoided.

Turd Ferguson

Public transport FTW

Robbo

Biggins wrote: »

My point and question is:
Will we as a nation of drivers ever see the day when people actually behave themselves behind the wheel, slow down and stop killing others?

I believe road deaths are on course for another record low for recent times again, possibly below 300 for the year. So, yes.

shenanigans1982

The main problem is a lack of proper Driving education. Its easy to put the blame on all the young drivers but until there is a proper system to educate them on proper use of the roads nothing will change.

Biggins

The van drivers weren't young. Both were over 40.
Speed is a factor across the age board sadly.

There has been other cases also where ages were older so I personally can't just select the young as main culprits of any kind or in particular driving category.

mike65

Unless there is a spike deaths will be the lowest ever recorded

http://garda.ie/statistics98/rtastats_longterm.html

You'll never stop total idiots wrapping themselves around trees.

It's definitely not the case that all deaths on our roads are caused by speed/dangerous driving, but if these factors didn't exist the number of deaths on our roads would be significantly reduced. There is no denying that.

delta_bravo

shenanigans1982 wrote: »

The main problem is a lack of proper Driving education. Its easy to put the blame on all the young drivers but until there is a proper system to educate them on proper use of the roads nothing will change.

I think thats a bit of a cop out to blame lack of education. Most deaths are caused by excessive speed and its implications. It doesnt take much education to read a road sign with a number and do not exceed your speed of said number.

shenanigans1982

Biggins wrote: »

The van drivers weren't young. Both were over 40.
Speed is a factor across the age board sadly.

There has been other cases also where ages were older so I personally can't just select the young as main culprits of any kind or in particular driving category.

Didn't mean the suggest you were saying it, but in general when it is reported on the news or in a paper it tends to highlight young drivers as the main factor in accidents.

The truth is that a lot of older people who have been driving for 40+ years without any kind of brush up on the rules of the road or test of their driving skills or eyes are just as likely to contribute to an accident. Also a lot of foreign drivers coming over here are unfamiliar with driving on the left and should be provided with some kind of training before being allowed on the road.

Even if it saved one life it would be worth it.

MarkR

I blame the Dukes of Hazzard.

Biggins

When your involved with the family of those that have lost someone through something that is solely based around speed, is hard to understand why, why people still persist with the attitude "O' it will never happen to me".
I've had to look into the faces of many families now, mothers and fathers and many times I am at a loss for words to explain even to myself how these things have come about and why they still persist.
A nineteen year old today who lost his life through speed, had his case closed completely today.
His family are now left with nothing but memories and questions as to "why?"
As the numbers increase, I'm finding it increasingly heart-rending and with shaking of head, unable to understand why some just won't take heed even in one area alone of their driving.

There will always be road deaths - but so many truly can be avoided.

mike65

They may be increasing for you but the fatality rate is by far the lowest its ever been.

Maybe I'm being cynical but the decrease probably has alot to do with people driving more slowly due to the increase in petrol prices.

ToxicPaddy

Driver education can only go so far, if a person is an idiot and determined to speed, drive recklessly, drink and drive or whatever, then they will do it..

All you can do is hope they when they finally do meet their end, they dont take some innocent person with them as unfortunately is usually the case..

unfortunately even if those idiots only hit a wall, they have destroyed innocent people - their own families - they are the ones who will suffer because their own son/daughter/father/mother/brother, was too selfish to think of them.