Croftons Injury Claims

Results of studies  revealed today show that children from the poorest backgrounds are more likely to be involved in road accidents. Apparently children under 16 in Preston are five times more likely to be injured than those in affluent areas such as Kensington and Chelsea. Further studies are still to be carried out to enable local authorities to investigate ways of ensuring the safety of the children within their communities. However, these initial figures will hopefully assist in getting our nation better educated.

There is on the one hand the need to ensure that children are properly educated in road safety whilst at the same time, not discouraging them from being children and playing outside.  Then there is also the need to ensure that motorists have a better understanding of both the law and the potential weapon that their vehicle actually is.

I heard on the news this morning that approximately 80% of Britain deem themselves to be an above average driver! You only have to look around the roads where you live to know that this is simply not possible. Motorists are seemingly unaware of the contents of the Highway Code which is there to provide guidance and state the law!

One common misunderstanding is when a pedestrian is injured in a road traffic accident. The driver thinks that because they are driving within the speed limit, turning a corner then it is the fault of the pedestrian for crossing the road / stepping into it. Yet the Highway Code is clear that drivers should give way to pedestrians crossing the road into which they are turning. The duty is on the motorist to watch out for those at the side of the road and to think whether the person may step out, run out or do something completely unusual and reduce their speed accordingly. Whilst in the above circumstances a driver may avoid a criminal prosecution, it does not necessarily mean that civil liability would be avoided.

And then there are those people who speed, complain that they have been caught and then on top of that campaign against the speed cameras that caught them! Putting aside arguments that speed cameras are “money making machines”, to me that is as ludicrous as arguing that a policeman should lose his job for catching you shoplifting. If you don’t like the law, then campaign against the law and not the enforcement of it.

Posted on 17.08.10

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