Chipping in for safer roads

Readers respond to our series.

Glorianne Campbell, Titirangi.

Thank you for your superb efforts in trying to assist with reducing the road toll. I have personally been affected by this devastating problem.

My first husband, at age 23, was run down by a disqualified 23-year-old while crossing the road and died eight days later.

More recently, in 1999, my first-born son was tragically killed at age 23 in a head-on accident in Whangarei. His girlfriend, with him in the vehicle, also died.

The road was straight, it was 8.50 am on a clear nice day. Apparently, neither vehicle was speeding. The car my son and his girlfriend were in crossed the centre line and hit an articulated truck head-on.

I feel trucks should use the roads at specified times and should travel at a lesser speed than other vehicles to allow for reaction time and braking distance when they see an imminent disaster.

That truck, travelling at 80 km/h, still pushed my son's vehicle 30-plus metres on impact and took many metres to stop.

I also feel more noise indentations on the centre line could assist in alerting a distracted or fatigued driver that he is crossing the line.

So, while we need to remedy drivers' mistakes, we also need more defensive driving to assist in avoiding accidents.

My heart is with all those families who lose loved ones.

* * *

P. Murphy, Rotorua.

With a white line up to a metre from the left kerb on our highways, we are wasting millions of dollars and valuable space. Without that line and keeping to our left, ample space would be available to passing traffic without crossing the centre line.

* * *

George Gair, Auckland.

As a former Minister of Transport, I welcome the Herald's interest in helping the community to adopt attitudes and take actions which will help cut the road toll. But to succeed, we must be practical. Bright car lights in daylight! Please, no more smooth talk advocating an idea which could well be a recipe for needless extra problems and diverts attention from the real answers of "sticking to the rules" (especially as they apply to speeding), "staying alert" (or having a pull-off rest period if you can't), and thoughtfulness for others.

Your columns have recently promoted the arguments of those who would introduce to this country the idea of driving with headlights going (not just parking lights) throughout the day as well as in the hours of darkness or the reduced light of dawn and dusk.

In the brightness of daylight, drivers cannot easily distinguish between having their lights on "full" or "dipped." Indeed, the ambient brightness of many daylight hours can make it difficult, if not impossible, to identify that dashboard indicator light which tells whether your own car lights are on full, or dipped. And even if dipped, those lights can add to the natural glare factor in summer which itself is frequently a cause of extra hazard on the road.

The few countries with a predisposition to this headlights-on-at-all-times driving requirement are notably much less blessed with sunshine throughout the year than we are in New Zealand; they have far longer nights and a much longer, colder, darker winter than we.

To have the other fellow's full-on headlights blazing at you on a glaringly bright day is not a plus in the search for safer roads. Rather, it's a huge minus! Enough of such distracting and deceptive pseudo-panaceas.

* * *

Margaret Wilson, Tauranga.

A flash of inspiration woke me in the early hours of this morning!

How would it be if all those of us wanting to do something positive about the impending holiday road toll were to tie a yellow ribbon - not round the old oak tree but the car aerial - to signify that we were personally taking some responsibility for trying to lower the accident rate, by:

* Being prepared to keep our speed at - or a little below - the designated speed limit.

* Driving with a nil alcohol level.

* Leaving home early enough to allow time for unexpected hold-ups.

* Being prepared to give way even when right-of-way is legally ours.

* Being big enough to forgive those who trespass against us, and give them a smile instead of a snarl.

* Allowing those more cautious drivers to drive at their idea of a safe speed without getting impatient.

If you see a car sporting a yellow ribbon on the aerial - and another on the steering wheel as a reminder! - it will be me.

If you wish to join me, that will make at least two of us who are trying to ensure that we, and those for whom we are responsible, will live to enjoy another Christmas.

* * *

Dave Brown, Waipu.

Speed bumps/humps are the answer in built-up areas, especially around schools. Several African countries I have visited use them extensively, and I have seen them in a few places here. They work for everyone, all day and night, cost very little to install and maintain, and you can't avoid them. Maybe they are too obvious for the bureaucrats to consider. Or are they not PC enough?

Herald Online feature: Cutting the road toll

Do you have a suggestion for cutting the road toll?

E-mail Scott MacLeod. Please supply your name and address.

Are you part of the dying race?

Take an intersection safety test

LTSA: Road Toll Update

Massey University: Effectiveness of safety advertising