"So your conclusion is: because we can do s*d all about the other ones (or you can't see a way through) let's dedicate 100% of our energy behind what is not even the main (even if you add the two components, which can't be strictly added anyway) and just fixate on the only one thing that keeps us moving: SPEED."
Not 100% of our energy, but essentially - yes, that is the idea! If we can do (as you say) s*d all about them, then why waste our time, money, and effort worrying about it? Why don't we try to change the things we can change.
You really need to think about this, speed is very easy to enforce. So, say we have amazingly found a spare �1million to spend on reducing deaths, how should we divide the money?
1. Loss of control whilst driving - Unbelieveably expensive for the government to personally pay for traction control for All cars, �1million wouldn't go very far at all! Skid pad training, high speed training for every single driver would be even more expensive!!! �1million would go nowhere close to training everyone to the nessesary level.
2. Failing to look properly - Adverts are very expensive! And so are training schemes! The general public would never agree to paying through the roof in Taxes simply for drivers to be told "look both ways you idiot before driving out of the juntion" Even though it makes up 21% of deaths we may only be able to save less than 1% of deaths with a �1million pound campaign, a �1million advert campaign probably wouldn't make even the slightest dent to anyone...you'd need to spend much more. And a �1million training scheme? Probably would include a few leaflets for everyone...nothing more than that.
3. Travelling too fast for conditions/people speeding - Very easy to enforce, simply set up cameras everywhere. It even pays for itself once set up, so we may not even need to spend the �1million and judging by how grumpy it makes people, it seems to be working. It makes up 14% of deaths so there is significant potential here to reduce deaths.
4. Careless, Reckless, in a hurry - As you say Dan, theres not a lot you can do about it. I'm still at a loss on what we could spend the �1million to tackle this problem.
So you see, Speed is the main cause of death that we can **actually change** with our limited pot of cash. Sure, if you want to spend a �Trillion training every single driver to the same standard as Lewis Hamilton, go ahead. But where the heck can you find the money from?
Can you see my point now?
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