Sir, - I have campaigned for some time in a modest way - through writing letters to Government departments, Ministers and the press - in an effort to improve the safety of children being carried in motor vehicles.
I did this because I became aware that the vast majority of children being transported are not restrained at all, and indeed are often allowed to stand up between seats and even on seats; that children who aren't restrained are at far greater risk of being killed and injured even in low-speed collisions; and, also because I have some first-hand experience through my job of seeing children killed and injured in accidents.
Anyway, the end result of my campaign is that nothing has been achieved. I have reached the conclusion that no one is doing anything meaningful to protect these children from the idiocy of the adults - most often their parents - who are driving the vehicles.
This is very disappointing, but as my time and resources are limited, I do not see how I can do anything more, and just have to accept the reality that the vast majority of children will continue to be transported dangerously.
All I can do now is to watch impotently as vehicle after vehicle passes me by carrying children unrestrained, standing up between the seats, on seats, sitting on the dashboard of vans, leaning out of the window, and so on.
In order to give myself some satisfaction I have invented a little game for myself called "Spot the Moron(s)". In this game you have to spot adults who go beyond the stupidity of just transporting children unrestrained, and add a little something else that entitles them to be described as morons.
For instance, a practice has grown up over the past couple of years where adults put seatbelts on themselves while leaving their children unsecured. I saw many of them yesterday when I was out walking, but two deserve particular mention.
At the Wilton roundabout in Cork at approximately 12.10 I saw a woman with a seatbelt on using a mobile phone as she entered the roundabout, while a child of about two sat on the back seat with no safety restraint at all. At about 12.25 at the junction of Bishopstown and Curraheen roads I saw two adults with seat belts on chatting away while a small child of about three years was standing up between the seats. Pretty moronic, but I feel the lady with the mobile phone deserves to be described as a super-moron.
Perhaps your readers will also take up this pastime and write in to report what they see. We could have a moron of the month competition - perhaps with photographs too. - Yours, etc.,
Brian Abbott, Bishopstown Road, Cork.