Thursday, 20 December 2007

The road toll.

We are approaching the best time of the year - Christmas and the holiday season - and summer. Unfortunately it is also the time when more of us will die or be critically injured in road accidents.

Fortunately there is every reason to think that the annual death toll will continue to fall. Slowly and surely we are getting better roads - with more and more of the state highways divided multi carriageways - and at the same time cars are getting better too.

As older cars head for the wreckers yard the proportion of cars equipped with air bags, traction control and better braking and handling systems becomes the majority. Each year as new models enter the marketplace the safety factor follows a steep upward curve. We can not blame our cars as the main cause of accidents !

As somebody once observed The main cause of road accidents " is the nut behind the wheel "!

That seems to be true. This holiday season there will be a percentage of drivers sharing the roads with us who are over the limit for alcohol consumption.
There will be others travelling well above the posted speed limit - and some drivers will be showing a degree of aggression better suited to a boxing ring.

No matter what laws are passed by parliament - and no matter how many police patrol cars supervise our roads - there will be a percentage of drivers who will act in a suicidal manner.

The only thing between us and an accident is sheer good luck - and the hope that these " accidents looking for a place to happen " are driving on some other road !

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