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HOMICIDE HORROR
Page 18
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I was horrified to read the article "Road deaths seen as murder" (CM, 6-12 Dec). I sincerely hope that Commercial Motor and indeed every other trade body in the road transport industry fights these proposals every inch of the way.
Why should fatal road accidents involving HGVs be treated as homicides? What makes the unfortunate circumstances where a person is killed in a road accident a homicide?
It does not take much thought to see why the police are keen on this proposal. Richard Brunstrom, North Wales Chief Constable, says in your article: "Many road deaths should, until proved to the contrary, be treated as homicides. Approximately 3,500 people are killed on the roads each year—this is roughly four times the number of homicide victims." Without figures I would imagine that the police solve no more than half the approximatE 800 or so murders which take place in this country each year. If, as proposed, you then designate road accident fatalities as homicides, you add several thousand to this total.
Even UK police can "clear up" a road transport "homicide". Unlike murder the perpetrator is on hand with a full set of documentation, so that the "solving" of these "homicides" does not require exceptional competence. Thus, if these proposals were implemented, police homicide clear-up rates go from a fairly modest level to near 100%.
Yet, apart from making the police figures look good, who benefits? It is not the victim, it does not put any more guilty people in jail. It is not the tax payer who will be paying for even more pointless police work. It is not the motorist who will suffer more delays through traffic problems as police extend the time they close roads for accident investigations—and it is not the householder who sees police diverted from investigating burglaries and other crimes.
And before anyone says I'm being cruel and heartless, let me say that even though the UK has the lowest number of road fatalities virtually anywhere in the world, 3,500 deaths are stil too many.
Fatalities can be reduced bt ensuring that drivers are bette trained, that roads are better maintained and improved, and that vehicles are properly maintained and operated. This scheme will not reduce road deaths—CMmust fight this every step of the way.
Name and address supplied.