Social and economic cost of speeding

What are we doing speeding? I just read this: NSW motorists are losing their licences at a record rate of 110 a day, because of accumulated traffic and speeding fines. If petrol prices are hurting, as our media and politicians tell us daily, why are we speeding? Wouldn't it make sense to slow down and save fuel? Hmmm. Maybe fuel remains too cheap?

Anyway, according to that report "the proliferation of speed cameras is blamed for the surge in suspensions", so it's not the drivers' fault, it's just that we are catching more speeding drivers. Ah-ha. They are not in control sufficiently to actually obey the law, apparently, or were distracted by their MP3 player, their cell phone or their passengers. Or they just didn't see the camera. Or they deliberately and consciously law-break by habit. Or whatever.

But wait, there's more. "Peak motoring group NRMA says the rising rate of licence suspension was also a threat to economic productivity, with a recent survey of business showing 23 per cent had workers who were currently off the road." Wow, who cares about the lives that are impacted by suspended licences, it's the economic consequence that matters. Is the NRMA for real, or simply misquoted?

In any case 23% sounds absurbly high and we don't know the sample size or error, but it could just be one person in each firm (how can we know?); so the economic impact is not actually revealed usefully by that stat at all. It looks big but is actually a rubbish number designed only to mislead. Ask instead 'what percentage of workers does this represent?' and 'what percentage of those suspended workers are thereby unable to satisfactority perform their work or an alternative?' They don't use those stats so the actual economic impact is probably small.

Let's also not forget that speeding itself has a social and economic cost measured in increased fuel consumption, noise and social dislocation, and in the cost of fixing smashed cars and people. Whilst punishment may not be the answer - no-one wants to see people forced out of jobs because of repeated lapses in concentration or a basic misunderstanding of the importance of road laws (hmmmm) - we can't ignore a problem that creates both ill-feeling and disrespect for authority and a rough-house bullying attitude by one group of motorists that sets them against the law-abiding and the non-motorised.

So let's get real. Balance punishment and education, sure, and start a cultural change in our society that increases care and respect for our community, including respect for laws designed to regulate and improve traffic flow. Yes folks, speeding stuffs up the traffic. You speed, you catch the guy in front and queues start. So just slow down, save gas and improve traffic flow. That's my 2 cents worth.