A road traffic accident never makes for pleasant reading in the media. There is, however, something particularly depressing about reading about a road traffic accident caused by drink-driving. The years of campaigning have not altered the behaviour of all drivers and some drivers new to the roads are playing Russian roulette with their own lives and the lives of others. While there has been progress in reducing the number of road traffic accidents in which alcohol is a factor, there is seemingly a hard core of drivers who are prepared to take foolish risks.
One surprising case occurred during the festive period. People can take risks after office parties or during the social whirl characteristic of the period. The situation is not always helped by the weather which can make a road traffic accident more probable. Mist or ice can combine with drink-drivers to make driving very hazardous.
The road traffic accident in question was reported in the South Wales Echo in December. It involved a boy of 13 who was caught in charge of a stolen vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The teenager, who was not named for legal reasons, allegedly struck three vehicles after careering on to a pavement. Subsequently, the teenager allegedly failed a breath test. While there may be extenuating circumstances, the youth of the alleged offender caused a ripple of shock in the local community. Stuart Dix, who works for the traffic police, claimed that in twelve years’ service he had never seen such a thing.
Perhaps new measures are necessary to reduce the chance of a road traffic accident being caused by alcohol consumption.
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