Of course, it is also a matter of degree and circumstance, but our attitude tends to be that until someone is hurt or killed as a result, speeding is not a very serious offence. But what is the point of being severe after the event? It is of no use to the person who has been killed or maimed, and it is manifestly no deterrent to other drivers to drive less dangerously and thus reduce the number of accidents. For although the chances of causing a serious accident are increased by speeding, they are still quite small and hardly worth worrying about.

 If we want to reduce the number of serious accidents on our roads the way to do it is by cracking down on dangerous driving, principally in the form of speeding, before accidents occur. The chances of detection and the severity of the punishment need to be increased to a level which ensures that everyone keeps to the speed limits and always drives carefully. The punishment for those who do not should be as appropriate and simple as it is just: the removal of their driving licence.

Either you drive strictly according to the rules or you leave the road. If you are caught driving without a licence, then you go to prison.

But what car driver does not want to be free to decide for himself whether breaking the speed limit constitutes dangerous driving or not, and what government - many of whose members also sometimes chose to press the pedal more than they should - would dare try to constrain him? As many Americans defend their "freedom" to bear arms, we defend our "freedom" to speed with relative impunity. And so the unnecessary killing and the injustice will probably go on.