[Curt]

I read yesterday that annually an average of 48,000 Americans die on the road as a direct result of automobiles (does not include secondary effects such as illnesses caused by the air pollution created by cars). I found this figure unbelievable so I thought I'd check it out a little more and it is indeed true.

In fact, the figures globally make for appalling reading and yet car ownership is still increasing massively (with many western families owning 2 or even 3 cars per household).

To give some idea of the numbers of people we are talking about, not to mention the numerous people affected by a single tragic death, the estimated number of deaths (in many third world and developing countries many deaths aren't even reported) in 1999 worldwide was 750,000 to 880,000 although this may have been much higher.

The staggering global estimate of road injuries for that year was between 23 million and 34 million.

What I don't understand, and maybe you guys can help me out here, is how come it is still so easy for people who would not be deemed intelligent enough to do certain types of work that may involve a certain amount of unattended responsibility or carry a slight financial risk and yet they are apparently intelligent enough to pass what is in many countries a very simple test and are then allowed to purchase what is no more than a lethal weapon in the wrong hands.

I, personally, would like to see much harsher tests for drivers, much greater taxation for the fuel (predominantly taxing the oil companies) and the cars with the money going into a separate treasury that deals with road safety, improved and regular public transportation and environmental clean up. I'd also like to see testing made compulsory at regular intervals for drivers with the timespan decreasing as age increases. And fines for driving offences should be income linked too.

I'm almost losing hope that what has been created can be reversed and that one day I, or a loved one close to me, will fall victim to this modern, selfish insanity. Can somebody try to relight my hope or is it too late?