Posted: Monday, 25 July 2011 | By: matthewz
I notice the ALP road safety strategy proposes a reduced TAC premium for drivers who can already afford new five-star rated vehicles. I strongly suggest that before this is put into place, we take stock of those drivers who cost the most to our society in terms of physical, emotional and financial damage: offending drivers. Seven months ago I was nearly killed by one. He attempted a u-turn across four lanes and a solid white line and witnesses all agree I had nowhere to go but the rear side of his vehicle. I have too many broken bones, operations, plates and screws inserted to mention, plus loss of vision in one eye and traumatic brain injury. I cannot remember if the lawyer driving the other vehicle was in a five-star rated car or not but police did write him a ticket for "unsafe u-turn" (!!?!really!?) and perhaps you now see where I'm coming from. Don't give me sympathy, don't give me the old line about Victoria having a "no fault" system. There is often fault and we have to show we are serious about road safety by not ignoring fault when it causes death or serious injury. Therefore the only acceptable way forward is that where police can identify a driver that has caused death or serious injury, that driver will be liable to pay either an extra 50% TAC premium on every vehicle registration they make, for the rest of their lives. Death and serious injury are both permanent to the victim and this can be how the offending driver is kept reminded, whilst opening up a new income stream to fund road safety education in schools (not more TAC ads). Now, there are things to work through with this idea and I have thought of many things already, but this is something fair, something we need, and mark my words - something that will happen. Please be a part of it. Cheers.