Dear Sir,

I have followed the debate on road safety, the concerns about our accident rate, the move towards stricter police supervision of our roads, and the push for heavier fines and harsher penalties. What sprang to mind is the “law of unintended consequences”.

Personally, I fully support the move to slow the island down. But looking at the news reports, it is clear we have so many road users who have no respect for the rules of the road. So we are between a rock and a hard place, as they say.

We can clamp down harshly, but it is unlikely to change the driving habits of that section of the public. It was reported that there are about 18,000 warrants outstanding. Pushing fines into the thousands of dollars is not going to make current offenders license their vehicle or get insurance. Or slow down. That route only leads to a huge increase in outstanding warrants and eventually criminalising these people by incarcerating them.

Our prison service is already stretched. Adding several hundred “vehicular criminals” to the prison population can’t be the best answer.

There are no easy answers. Impounding the vehicle until fines are paid and insurance and licensing are up to date is one. But I fear that would be a bureaucratic nightmare to administer. But it would focus the offender!

Reference the speeding aspect of the problem, the only real option is to take away the ability to speed. This would require a broad rethink and would only work if supported by both sides of the House, along with the co-operation of the car and motorcycle industry. Put an amendment to the Motor Car Construction and Use Act making it mandatory for all vehicles to be fitted with speed regulators. Set the max at 50km/h.

Even as I write I can hear the howls of protest. But if you want to stop burning your hand, take it out of the fire. I was told by a politician no party would get involved, that it would be political suicide. But if both sides of the House are on board you’ve got it cracked.

We all know what will happen if we don’t resolve this problem.

JEFF PAYNE

Paget