Sir - After reading about the school bus crash in Wicklow, I would like to offer some observations that I made as a visitor to your country. I regularly drive 20,000 miles a year commuting to my job, so driving in any conditions has tended to hold little terror for me. That changed last October on a driving vaction in Ireland. I had last driven in Ireland 25 years ago. A surprising number of roads are the same or worse, but instead of dodging sheep I now spent my time trying to avoid speeding Audis and BMWs. I will not even go into the thrill of meeting a bus or truck on a road that is not even designed for two small cars to pass safely.
Poor road conditions, excessive speed and double and even triple parking on main streets in towns make driving a dangerous sport. What struck me was that I saw no enforcement of the laws that do exist. Where is the police enforcement? The sad truth is that until you commit substantial resources to enforcement and road improvement your accident rate will continue to rise. Nobody likes to be pulled over by the police, but it sure beats having to go to a funeral. - Yours, etc.,
Karen L.T. Shangraw,
Crofton,
Maryland,
USA.