Tough sanctions needed to cut carnage on roads

From: John Rookes, Bramley, Rotherham.

AFTER the latest tragedy the M62 motorway has been singled out as highly dangerous for the high number of casualties over the last five years, but it is only a small piece in the jigsaw.

You only have to look round to witness the appalling standard of driving in this country. Until the punishment fits the crime I can only see it getting worse.

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As a former huntin’ shootin’ and fishin’ man I had to jump through hoops of fire to own rifles and shotguns but any 17-year-old can go out and buy a car and just as soon as they have passed their test can go out and cause carnage on main roads.

Transport Secretary Barbara Castle introduced the breathalyser to combat drink driving, very unpopular at the time but this has now been accepted, although there are the hardcore few who still do it.

Mobile phones are the new drink driving equivalent, anyone caught using a phone should get the same punishment as a drink driver, fined and banned; anyone caught a second time should have their vehicle impounded or crushed. Draconian measures they might seem, but like the breathalyser the message will eventually get through.

The slogan “speed kills” is very true, so another measure would be to reduce speed limits on the roads.

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