I am shocked and saddened to read of the inquest into the death of Claudia Landa (Lorry driver tells of fateful teen death, October 23).

This is a tragedy for her and her family. However, I am extremely concerned by the reporting that Sergeant Benelow claimed that the driver’s speed of 39mph in the 30mph limited urban area would  not have prevented the collision.

It might not have done, but the chances that Claudia would have lived would have been much higher had she been hit at 30mph, and the chances of her being hit in the first place would also be lower at a lower speed.

Anything moving contains energy by virtue of this motion, and the laws of physics tell us that this energy is 1.69 times as great at 39mph than at 30 mph.

Hence the damage done to somebody hit is much worse at 39mph than at 30mph, and the chances of survival are therefore much lower.

Furthermore the chances of avoiding the collision in the first place is lower at higher speed, because of increased thinking distance and breaking distance, and because there is simply less time to do anything to avoid collision by both the driver and pedestrian.

The message sent by the police saying, in effect, that speed made no difference in this case, is grossly irresponsible.

We cannot tell what difference it would have made in Claudia’s case, but statistics tell us that you are about 80 per cent likely to survive a 30mph impact, but only 20 per cent likely to survive one at 40mph.

At 20mph you are 97 per cent likely to live.

We must look at the bigger picture, and make drivers understand that speeding kills people in the same way that drinking and driving does, and we should protect our young people particularly, but all pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers by sending a clear message that the 30mph limit is in force in urban areas for a very good reason.

And even 30mph is too fast when pedestrians and cyclists are close, it is the maximum, not an entitlement to drive at that speed.

SAM READ

by email

 



MORE SUTTON STORIES »