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Mike Waters' Blog: 2 July 2008
Date: 02 July 2008
We all know the rules of the road, we should never break them, and most of us don't. But that doesn't mean to say that others won't, something that makes...
Why is it so difficult for some to stay legal?
We all know the rules of the road, we should never break them, and most of us don't. But that doesn't mean to say that others won't, something that makes driving more dangerous for everyone.
Whatever the offence, there are foolish drivers out there who will thoughtlessly try to break the rules, generally for little benefit, and thankfully, they often get caught.
I read a story recently which defied belief. A driver from North London had been caught by police for overloading his car with passengers, and I mean seriously overloading his car.
The driver in question had managed to fit 13 people into his Volvo when he was pulled over. If he had been involved in an accident I dread to think of the casualties that would have resulted.
There has been a spate of high profile individuals charged with drink driving in recent months, ranging from footballers to household celebrities. However, one of the most shocking reports that I read was of a driving instructor who had become suspicious about a pupil.
They were complaining of being tired and appeared groggy behind the wheel. When he breathalysed her she was nearly twice the legal limit.
In Australia it's not just drunk car drivers that are causing chaos. On the outskirts of a major Australian city, the police spotted cars swerving around a man who was asleep on an exit lane in a motorised wheelchair. Once removed to safety the man was charged with drink-driving as he was more than six times over the legal limit.
The authorities are getting better at enforcing the law and the chances of getting away with an offence are diminishing all the time.
In the past some drivers had felt that once they are on foreign soil they are impervious to the law, but it is reassuring that this situation is likely to change. The European Union is looking to create a Europe-wide electronic data-sharing system of drivers' details, so that if a driver commits a motoring offence, the incident won't go unpunished.
As ever, it is a minority of thoughtless people that are making driving more hazardous for the rest of us. The rules of the road can cause inconvenience and cost you a bit of time, but it's worth it if it reduces the cost in terms of injuries and loss of life.
It is easy to become complacent when you are behind the wheel, but driving a vehicle on the road is a real responsibility, something that we should never forget.
