Dangerous drivers must be tackled

It was with interest that I read last week’s column by Andy Thomas, on the day when a lunatic in a grey Renault Laguna estate nearly drove into my 10 year old as he drove through a red light on a pedestrian crossing. The crossing on Banbury Road near St Nicholas Park is used by schoolchildren of all ages at this time (8-40am). Two of the three lanes of traffic at the crossing had stopped for the lights and the centre lane was empty. As my son was about to cross into the centre lane on his bicycle, the driver of the vehicle sped by his front wheel.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Sep 2011, 09:32 BST

I agree with Andy’s point that limits are limits, and generally the penalties for speeding are often appropriate. My belief is that penalties for reckless or outright dangerous driving are pathetically poor by comparison. In this case, two calls to the police have failed so far to hail any action (even though we got the driver’s registration). Unless two independent witnesses contact the police, little can be done. Even then, my guess is that there would be little penalty for what was an extremely serious offence. Consequently this driver is free to jump red lights again next time he is late for work presumably, with no consideration for who may be in his path.

The major danger to us all are drivers who fail to obey rules of the road, exercise any kind of appropriate judgement about the situation in which they are driving, or who drive recklessly.

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Driving a car is a privilege and while I think most people do, not everyone drives that way. Penalties for motoring offences are usually ridiculously minor. The penalties given for those who have caused accidents through reckless driving rarely if ever seems to reflect the seriousness of the crime or peril that their actions placed others in.

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Driving around in a few tons of metal can be very similar to randomly firing a few bullets from a gun (and can have similar outcomes), when done recklessly. Why should the penalties not be similar?

Many believe there are too many cars on the roads. Stiffer penalties to remove those who fail to demonstrate enough responsibility to be a car owner could address that, as well as removing some of the worst drivers. That will not happen while the authorities have such a relatively ‘light touch’ approach to anything to do with motoring offences.

I am beginning to see a good reason for my wife and son reverting to going to school by car (Friday’s event was far from an isolated incident even if it was the closest shave to date).

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In a world where we are trying to encourage a healthier lifestyle and a bit of independence in our children, that is a shame. It is probably safer to be in a car than on foot/bicycle when meeting such appalling driving though. On this occasion we were fortunate. There are far too many others who have not been.

I simply don’t understand why it is so difficult to attack what surely is the most serious threat on our roads. - Adam Miles, address supplied.