Dear Sir,

An article in your newspaper recently reported the appalling statistic that 30 young men have died of gun violence since May 2009. Politicians and members of the public are wringing their hands and trying to fix the blame for this.

Another statistic should be noted in parallel with this. During that same period, 71 people, a large proportion of them young men, have been killed on our roads. This has not provoked the same reaction.

I would suggest that we, as a community, are to a large extent responsible for both of these tragic totals.

Children learn by example, and the example with which they are daily presented on our roads is one from which they learn very early that the law can be disregarded and that people’s lives do not matter.

By our behaviour, we teach this every day, so is it any wonder that we get such results?

We are responsible for the flaunting of law and the disregard for human life that we see in our young people.

Everyone, led by the politicians, should show by example that law and lives matter — and we should start on the roads.

JOHN MORBEY