Road carnage goes on unabated

Sir,
Having worked in or travelled to scores of countries over the years, I can assert without fear of much contradiction that driving discipline and standards in Cyprus rate among the worst in the world.  Behaviour on the roads is abysmal, and constantly life-threatening. It seems Cypriot drivers must have a great fondness for hospital food.
The number of articles regularly published island-wide on this issue (yesterday’s ‘Road safety under the spotlight’ was but the latest) and the amount of hand-wringing by experts and government officials all reflect the public disquiet.  And yet the carnage goes on unabated.

Perhaps the standard of driving instruction needs to be raised.  Possibly the driving test itself ought to be far more rigorous. Maybe the fines for certain traffic offences should be thoroughly draconian for a couple of years – in fact well out of proportion to the transgression for a while – to bring home the seriousness of the situation we have here.

We are all familiar with the creeping at traffic lights. Why do drivers do this? There is the alarming habit of carrying very young children in the front of cars with no restraint. A sudden stop would give the child no chance of avoiding injury or worse.  Underage scooter and motorcycle riding with youngsters performing wheelies to impress their friends are all commonplace. Why is it condoned or ignored?    Unlicensed and uninsured drivers abound. Bring them to book.

Speeding, irresponsible overtaking, tailgating, sheer impatience – all for what?  On a small island where is the advantage gained except to satisfy ego or immature macho exhibitionism?  

That there is mayhem on Cyprus roads is no exaggeration.  It surely must be curbed, and we should demand the government steps in with truly punitive measures to bring about a change of driving culture.

Clive Turner, Tala, Paphos

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.