Madam, - I notice from your edition of February 7th that the chairman of the Road Safety Authority is somewhat agitated and the members of the RSA board are "very angry" at the delays in implementing speed cameras.
While one can understand Gay Byrne's obvious frustration and empathise with his attempts to get the civil service to act, my sympathy is somewhat lessened by his - and his board's - fixation with speed cameras. The hoary old line that "speed kills", that it is safe to drive at the posted limit, and the associated notion that speed cameras can consequently reduce deaths have become ingrained in the public consciousness and have become conventional wisdom. This has been accepted with little or no debate by a public that has become almost brainwashed.
In reality, the efficacy of speed cameras in reducing road traffic deaths is a matter of some argument and it is far from an established fact that they actually achieve the results that their proponents claim.
That speed is the cause of some road traffic accidents is beyond debate; the percentage of all accidents caused by speed is more hotly contested. Mr Byrne is aware of this and if he is not, he should not be chairman of the RSA.
The RSA would be more gainfully employed in trying to move slothfully slow Government Ministers to deal with the ludicrous speed limits on some national roads; to force the Garda to deal with the idiots who drive while using mobile phones; to introduce meaningful punishments for that offence and for failure to obey simple road signs and markings.
Improving road safety is not rocket science. Increase the visible Garda presence with sensible, dedicated officers and make the punishments much more severe than at present. However, I won't be holding my breath.
As long as the obsession with speed cameras remains and proper debate about road traffic accidents is consequently stifled, no proper progress will be made. A final point about speed cameras: they are wonderful sources of revenue. I'm sure the RSA knows that too. - Yours, etc,
IAN LEE, Collins Lane, Tullamore, Co Offaly.