On Sunday there was a fatal crash involving a family of 5 in an Escort and an Toyota Prius on the A6 at Penrith. Of the 7 people in both cars 6 died and the only survivor is critically ill. All of the deaths in the Escort were of young people.
The purpose of this thread is not to analyse the accident in anyway, simply to emphasise that these deaths should remind us all to drive to the best of our ability.
Drive safely on this solstice evening.
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The local council had planned to reduce the speed limit from 60 to 40 on this piece of road, but it is still at the planning stage.
Whats the bets that it will be in force within the month!
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It wasn't after the last accident there.I think it about time to stop learner drivers driving other than in a registerd driving school car.
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"about time to stop learner drivers driving other than in a registerd driving school car"
I think the UK is unusual in being one of only a few countries that allow you to drive without proper driving school supervision. Certainly can?t in Poland, they find the concept shocking.
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It wasn't after the last accident there.I think it about time to stop learner drivers driving other than in a registerd driving school car.
People need to practice in privately owned cars, otherwise the costing of learning to drive could become prohibitively expensive.
Perhaps a better idea would be to stop learner drivers from carrying passengers, apart from their instructor?
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Maybe it being "prohibitively expensive" would make people, especially 17 year old children, realise that driving is a difficult, dangerous activity and not just an adolescent rite of passage.
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Maybe it being "prohibitively expensive" would make people, especially 17 year old children, realise that driving is a difficult, dangerous activity and not just an adolescent rite of passage.
Well put
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Interestingly, recent accident experience has thrown up an unexpected and unwelcome effect of the driving test getting harder. Whereas previously a reasonable proportion of young drivers would get their licenses fairly soon after turning 17, nowadays it take sa lot longer, is a lot more expensive and a lot harder to get.
You'd think that this would be good. Less inexperienced drivers on the road, newly qualified drivers have more experience etc.
What's actually happening (I believe) is that there are several undesirable knock on effects. Firstly, in any group there are likley to be only one or two who have a licence. So, they always have to drive, increasing the temptation to have a drink anyway. Secondly, they drive in a full car, often showing off to their friends, and don't have the experience to realise how differently a full, heavy car responds when sudden action needs to be taken.
So, the upshot is a massive increase in accidents involving a full car with lots of young kids in it. The overall death toll is up significantly. There was a Telegraph (I think) article on this, suggesting that perhaps the number of passengers that could ba carried in the first couple of years should be limited, along with some sort of curfew arrangement.
I offer no judgement, other than to note the laws of unintended consequence..
Gord.
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An interesting post Gordon M.
I think a few people on here will strongly disagree with the idea that the driving test is getting more difficult. Not so long ago (and quite frequently before) it is suggested the test was far too easy and that essentially any nitwit can get one. Because I haven't experienced any more driving tests other than the one I sat in '03 at the age of 17, I can't quantifiably say driving tests are getting easier (or harder for that matter). However, the chances are, those who say the driving test is too easy, sat theirs 10 or more years ago when the test didn't include the multiple additional hurdles which have been introduced since, like hazard perception and "show me, tell me" tests, not to mention increases in traffic.
I can understand your point regarding one or two members of a group of friends being the only one with a license, because that is the case with me and my friends. Luckily, me and my friends are quite mature and fully understand the dangers of the road, defiantly not the ?show-off? type of people. Unfortunately, we?re discriminated against financially with astronomical insurance costs. However, I?m not sure that many incidents with young drivers also involve many passengers. In the case of young people I know, more often that not, the drivers were in on their own when they crashed.
Yes, passenger numbers may play a part, but I don?t think its significant enough to warrant a limit on passenger numbers or a curfew.
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The local council had planned to reduce the speed limit from 60 to 40 on this piece of road, but it is still at the planning stage. Whats the bets that it will be in force within the month!
I read that the lower 40mph limit had already been approved and will be started in August.
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Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
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I'd suggest a half-way house option, that learners should only drive a car with the supervising licence holder, and no-one else in the car as a passenger. Whenever I sat in the left seat with my daughter driving, and rear passengers (normally her younger sisters) she was very easily distracted, and even more reluctant to take my advice/instructions.
The L driver in the accident had four passengers, one of whom should have been supervising him. It is possible that the accident is partly the fault of the supervising driver.
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