Sir, - May I say, by way of reply to Jude Lindsay (October 23rd), that roads, whether they be good or bad, do not cause fatal collisions. These are caused either by driver inexperience, arrogance, drunkenness, anger, poor eyesight or suicidal inclinations.
The road surface, condition and design, and its inherent limitations, must be taken into account in any decision by any driver to drive either fast or slow. A safe driver will always drive in a manner appropriate to the prevailing conditions.
Therefore to state that the lack of motorways and dual carriageways in Ireland is in any way responsible for the appalling carnage on our roads is to miss the point completely. This fact is so self-evident that I find it hard to believe that people will continue to make these idiotic arguments.
Some of the most horrific accidents on Irish roads have taken place on the Naas dual carriageway over the past 30 years or so. This road seems to attract the lunatic driver and countless innocent people have lost their lives on it, due simply to excessive speed or drunkenness on the part of an idiot who decides that he or she had the right to drive like a maniac, and to put at risk the lives of innocent people.
It is possible to drive safely on a dirt track, while it is also possible to drive dangerously on a motorway. - Yours, etc., Peter Martin,
Castle Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin.