CORRESPONDENT Geoffrey Breakell makes the point that 84 per cent of accidents resulting in death or serious injury to pedestrians are the "fault" of the pedestrian.
So what is his point? That we don't have to do anything to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries?
Pedestrian deaths and injuries overwhelmingly occur among vulnerable road-users -- usually younger and older people (who often don't have any other option but to walk). Now, it seems only natural to me that children do make mistakes in learning to cope with the trials and tribulations of life. Similarly, older people often become less agile and more fragile as a simple consequence of ageing.
The question seems to me to be whether, for example, a child learning to play outside and close to home should pay for an error of judgement with a serious disability -- or their life. I would argue that, in more than 84 out of 100 such cases, this is too high a price for all of us to pay.
Stuart Murray
Broad o'th' Lane
Astley Bridge, Bolton
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