Wednesday 8 July 2009

The learning process

AN EIGHT-year-old schoolgirl was hit by a car outside Ysgol Maelgwn when leaving the school in Llandudno Junction at 3.30pm yesterday. An ambulance was called and paramedics treated her at the scene before taking her to Llandudno General Hospital for a check-up.

We don't know the precise details of this case, of course, but motorists in general often drive too fast for the conditions. Primary schools are also incredibly dangerous places to drive past at letting-out time and it's at times like this one has to sympathise with the plans to make certain areas 20mph or lower at certain times.

Richard Brunstrom was always the target of incensed motorists and anti-speed camera organisations who conveniently overlooked the fact that speed limits are made necessary by the minority of drivers who always feel limits are only for others. Or for mothers who are late for school. Or for young drivers who believe they'll live forever. Or for that most dangerous of breeds - the self-confessed 'good driver'.

Many times we locals are heard despairing of 'tourist' drivers, or 'hatted' drivers or 'Sunday' drivers but the stats reveal that it's locals who have the most accidents. Even during the summer season. Speed doesn't kill; that's a dreadful over-simplification of a very deep topic. But driving dangerously and stupidly and without consideration does. Perhaps that's something we all need to learn.

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