30 May 2007

The stupidity of youth

The number of young motorists involved in accidents while under the influence of alcohol is increasing despite anti-drink-drive campaigns.

According to the Metroplitan Police Almost a quarter of all drink drive offenders and casualties in London were aged between 17 and 24. The picture across the rest of the country is similar. Sgt Ivan Stafford, of Leicestershire police, said: "They're the majority of the casualties, they're the majority of the offenders. And the numbers of people being killed in a drink-related accident have increased dramatically.

Figures from the Department for Transport support the police warnings: there were 1,050 17 to 19-year-olds involved in drink-drive accidents in England and Wales in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, compared with 810 in 1995. For 20 to 25-year-olds, the figure increased from 2,170 to 2,280 in the same period.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, called for an urgent reduction in the drink-drive limit. He said police should be given powers to breath test motorists anywhere and at any time. "Studies have shown that cutting the drink-drive limit from 80mg to 50mg would save 65 lives and 230 serious injuries on Britain's roads each year," he said.

Okay so the incidence of drink driving is much lower than it was 30 years go, it sems that the message is not getting through anymore to young drivers. If they were just killing themselves, then it would be a stupid wasted of life. Sadly they kill their friends and kill other road users.

Perhaps it is high time that the drink drive limit was dropped to a level where one drink would put you over the limit. Even one drink can impair judgement, whatever we would like to think. At least would cut out some of the ambiguity about how much one can drink before being over the limit.

6 comments:

? said...

Great post and this reminds me of an incident last November. Was heading for work BT Wartford (that location on that particular day) and pulled up right in front of the traffic lights. Before I knew it someone ran into the rear of my vehicle. To cut the long story short, it turned out he was driving a stolen car and also on drugs. He (17 year old) got arrested but I think the government should be able to do more to get the youths in the right direction. But then again, most would have had ASBO's by 12 years. So sometimes, perhaps there is nothing much that bcan be done but to reform the institution of family. I know I might be terribly wrong. Ill be back.

jams o donnell said...

There needs to be a carrot and stick approach. Education and crime diversion are essental, but there also need to be sanctions and punishments too. I wish the latter were not necessary but in this world...

Steve Bates said...

This is tragic, and needlessly so. What can be done? What... you're asking somebody from Texas? We do not have a very good track record here on this issue, despite tougher laws. Somehow, education is the key. We need better carrots. We've got the stick, and are using it, and it clearly isn't enough. We need to do a better job of teaching people why they shouldn't drink and drive.

When anyone opposes me on this issue, I drag out the one photo I ever took of my activist colleague Richard. I met Richard as the brother of one of Stella's classmates in a postgraduate program, introduced him to the local Amnesty International chapter, and watched with joy as he became one of our strongest activists. Richard traveled by bicycle around Houston, day and night. He was cautious, observed all the rules of the road, used good lights at night, wore his helmet, etc.

And less than two years after I met him, Richard was dead... killed by a drunk driver.

If you ever think it makes no difference if you drive after a drink or two, or that tragedy can't happen to you or your loved ones or friends or colleagues, I'm here to tell you otherwise.

jams o donnell said...

Jesus Steve that is terrible. I am glad to say I have never combined alcohol and driving. Never did it at all. Why others still persist in risking the lives of others and not just their own defeats me.

Anonymous said...

If they were to introduce random breath tests it would be an unconscionable intrusion into the absolute human rights of all drivers who have a total God given right to go anywhere at any speed in their beautiful blessed machines and it would be another intrusion from the Nanny State which surely has better things to do than try and reduce the number of premature deaths

jams o donnell said...

Well said Gert. I am all for random tests, which some emphasis on the ones that by chance do drivers as they leave pubs