Madam, - Tom Cooney's opposition to random breath-testing is astonishing (Opinion & Analysis, February 14th). His propagandist style is no substitute for sound argument. The use of the word "dragnet" six times is really overdoing it.
In New South Wales, random breath-testing (RBT) was introduced in December 1982. The number of road deaths in 1982 was 1,253. In 1983 it was 966. By 1992, it was down to 649. From 1995 to 2005 it was always less than half the 1982 level, varying from 620 to 510. This reduction was achieved despite a rising population and a rising number of vehicles.
If RBT were implemented with similar success in Ireland, the following could be expected, assuming 400 deaths in the final pre-RBT year: a reduction to 308 in the first year, 207 in the tenth year and from the 13th year on, totals varying from 198 to 163.
I have seen RBT units in operation on at least 200 occasions. Not one of them caused "traffic chaos". New South Wales has its share of civil libertarians. I am unaware of any of them objecting to the 12,000 or so lives saved since 1982.
I am surprised that anyone could so readily dismiss the civil liberties, in particular the right to life, of the many people whose lives would be saved as a result of random breath-testing. - Yours, etc,
DÁITHÍ Ó COLCHÚIN, Sydney, Australia.