Road toll

Press, 22 October 1981, Page 16

Road toll

Sir,—At last there is a realisation that road injuries and deaths can have their cause linked to criminal arid pychiatric behaviour. Indeed, as I have maintained for years, immoderate use of alcohol is more likely a symptom of social and mental instability J than a first cause. It was believed that bad driving could not be equated to crime in general because ain'ivsi everyone takes risks, ignores regulations and uses alcohol and

medication more or less in moderation. Perhaps one in a, thousand of such deliberate lapses result in injury to persons or property, while all assaults and thefts demand prosecution of the apprehended criminal. So we have had separate policing of traffic offences, with administrative frustration resulting in a cancerous growth of regulations. There should be a moratorium on further changes until the present road rules are reasonably policed by seeking out pathologically bad drivers. — Yours, etc.,

VARIAN J. WILSON. October 20, 1981.