THE three letters to SAM on road safety were so typical of the 'blame culture' we now live in.

All three men were full of excuses of why it is OK to speed and if someone is knocked down then it can't possibly be the driver's fault.

To Steven Wilson I would like to ask if "speed has very little part to play in most accidents" then why do the police produce a leaflet explaining the effects of speed on 'soft' road users - i.e. 19 people in 20 are killed when hit at 40 mph, but only I in 20 people killed when hit by a car driving at 20m.p.h.

And to Andrew Rowlands why shouldn't non-drivers comment on road safety, issues.

They are the very people who are the most vulnerable when walking along pavements and crossing roads - their needs and concerns are paramount.

Finally to Steven Richardson - all motorists are potential killers and no matter how much we educate our children on road safety it is the adult in the car who has ultimate responsibility.

It is in the nature of children to run, play, be carefree and easily distracted, therefore in a built up area please slow right down for the sake of others.

I have made it my personal law to drive within a speed limit and what's more - I always get there on time!

Linda Lloyd, Altrincham

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.