Friday, June 01, 2007

20 MPH speed limits on the roads?

Lets see, do drivers drive on the pavement? No didn't think so.

The majority of accidents are caused by people walking into the road without looking! Whilst speed could contribute slightly, the simple fact is the pedestrian should not have been there!

Be it a youngster dashing between parked cars, running across the roads, or even city centre pedestians and their refusal to walk an extra 30 yards to the nearest pelican/zebra crossing.

Lets put the blame back where it truly belongs, at the feet of the pedestrian. 50% of deaths of 18 to 25 years olds is caused by them drunkenly walking/stumbling into the road, after kicking out time at the local pub/club yet its always the motorist who is demonised, always speed put on trial.

If there was a crime of jay walking as in America, would the incidences of motorists hitting pedestrians reduce, of course it would, it would force pedestrians, to use the pavements and designated crossings.The very place that they are safest, yet they insist on encroaching onto the roads in a mistaken belief it is every motorists responsiblity to watch out for them.

Whilst I can and do accept that a car travelling at 30 mph is more likely to seriously injure a child than one travelling at 20mph, if the child takes the risk and gambles on being able to run cross the road, and then loses, whose fault is it? Should the child and his her parents castigate the driver, when its the childs own fault?

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2 Comments:

Blogger Shani said...

I totally agreed with your point - but speed limits are becoming a joke....

Our son was nearly killed by someone doing in excess of 60 mph (50 mph was the speed after ABS breaks had been applied). this was in a 30 mph zone. The 30 mph seemed to be an advisory speed - for whatever reasons the lad didn't think it applied to him, or saw it as a challenge.

He didn't get to where he was going any quicker, and neither did our son - who was trying to use the road as well !!

Accidents are just that - accidents, but some are more predictable than others.

I think that pedestrians and cyclists should be targeted for being taught more road conscious skills.

Best wishes and a good blog.
Shani

12:29 pm  
Blogger LFB_UK *The Legend* said...

Sorry about your son, I realise that there are idiots on the road. I was merely trying to point out, that the majority of accidents, are cases of kids running into the road, or even more worrying, young adults coming out of the boozers, with their invincibility jackets on........

Apologies for upseting you in any way

11:25 am  

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