IN reply to PC 4082 Mark Hagan (Letters, Dec 14), I would like to make the following comments:

Firstly, speed does not kill people do. One mile an hour can kill someone if the driver/rider isn't concentrating.

Which leads me on to my second point.

Whilst you have correctly pointed out that those not wearing restraints in an accident fare worse than those who do, to say that a majority of mortalities are from excessive speed is inaccurate to the point of being irresponsible in itself.

You are in fact attempting to justify your existence by making that sort of comment.

It would be too difficult to prove that a person was killed in an accident by playing with the vehicle's music system, for example, or that poor judgement was a factor, as is the case in most accidents.

Your methods of determining the speed of a vehicle after an accident, such as skid marks, road conditions etc, are not 100% accurate and therefore a good barrister would disprove your findings.

This is also why many juries will only give a guilty verdict against driving without due care and attention.

It is all too easy to say that speeding causes most accidents. Poorly maintained roads (and Wycombe has plenty of them), those who do not concentrate or those who cannot drive within their own limits do.

Staying within the speed limit does NOT make you a safe driver, in the same way that a police advanced motoring course does not necessarily make you a better driver.

But an advanced motorist course does teach you to be more aware of your surroundings, watch what other drivers are doing and plan in advance and that is what prevents accidents, not watching the speedometer every five seconds.

Merry Christmas.

Wayne Pendle

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