Create a safe-driving culture

Readers respond to the Herald's campaign to reduce deaths on the roads

Don Easton, British Columbia, Canada

Just over four years ago the Government of British Columbia formed the Children's Commission to investigate all deaths involving children under the age of 19, and to recommend ways to lower the fatality rate.

I have worked for this agency during this time and it's clear that car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among young people in Canada.

In BC, it is young and relatively inexperienced drivers who cause the majority of crashes and I would strongly recommend that you focus your resources on training in this area.

Education, combined with a longer and more stringent "driver training" programme, is effective.

There is also a new, graduated licensing system that is much more stringent and has more serious consequences for drivers who infringe during their first two years of driving.

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Peter Dix

Hey, let's change the paradigm of the police and the public - we could catch people doing things right and reward them by setting up a system that can pick up that you, Jo Average, has passed all cameras driving below either the speed limit or threshold for prosecution.

Next time you get a ticket you can use your credits to assist in payment or get a cheque or voucher in the post as your reward for being a good citizen.

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Reg Barrett, Director, Land Transport Safety Authority

I have followed with interest your campaign encouraging readers to suggest ways to stop the carnage on our roads, and I congratulate you for helping to raise awareness of the very important issue of road safety.

I would like to respond to the criticisms levelled at myself and police national road safety manager Steve Fitzgerald by Driver magazine editor Allan Dick.

Dick suggests that Mr Fitzgerald and myself have been "self-congratulatory"over the reduction in New Zealand's road toll, and that we have ignored the role of improved vehicle safety standards in cutting the toll.

First, neither Mr Fitzgerald nor myself have ever expressed any satisfaction over the dropping road toll - we have both maintained that there is no room for complacency because it remains far too high.

And, second, we have always acknowledged that the drop in the road toll cannot be attributed to any single factor. We have reduced the carnage on our roads and we can do much better.

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Bill Dyck

When I was a young man in Canada there was an initiative to encourage citizens to think of road safety every long weekend.

The catch-cry became: "It's a long weekend, turn your headlights on for safety." What this really meant was that you should drive with your lights on to let others know that you were safety-conscious.

NZ could legislate daytime headlights, although the Canadian approach was very effective because it was voluntary and became a cultural thing.

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Peter Davidson, Tamarama, Sydney

The maximum allowable blood alcohol limit should be lowered to 0.05mg from the current 0.08 level.

In Australia, we happily survive with a "Point Oh Five" regime.

It is inexcusable that the mortality rate from motor vehicle accidents in New Zealand is 40 per cent higher than in Australia. Lower the blood/alcohol limit and survive.

Is there anyone not in favour of lowering the limit?

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B. C. Gerrand

My brother had what I thought was a really good idea to keep the road toll down. He suggested that, instead of speed cameras, spend that money on putting trainee police out on the road, particularly during long weekends and holidays.

Everybody slows down when they see a cop car coming.

The Auckland cops could drive half way to Hamilton and the Hamilton ones could drive half way to Auckland.

They wouldn't need new cars - what is wrong with a good import for around $5000?

I understand the new speed cameras are about $40,000. That would put a lot of officers on the road.

They would benefit from the hands-on training and I believe the only way we will slow people down is to have them out there for people to see.

Canterbury leads the way on safety

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