After Grog Blog: REVEALED HERE: HEAVYWEIGHTS ON SPEED

Yesterday in the Sunday Age - strangely I can't find a link anywhere - there was an article quoting the heads of various car companies. Each echoing sentiments expressed here at the AGB over the past month.

Geoff Polites - Ford....

"No car company condones speeding or unsafe driving but my concern is that there is an over-emphasis on speed and perhaps neglect of some of the other or equally more significant issues."

Malcolm Gough - Mazda....

"The focus on speed cameras is far too narrow....Having a highly visible raod presence is probably much more effective than relying on hidden or fixed cameras."

Michael Winkler - Porsche....

"The whole issue of focussing so much on the enforcement side makes a nation of speedo watchers and gives people the false impression they will be safe if they travel at the speed limit."

Franz Sauter - BMW....

"Speed cameras alone were a one-dimensional punitive approach and BMW preferred 'a holistic approach' incorporating elements such as driver training, vehicle quality and road design."

Horst Von Sanden - Mercedes....

"With the fixation on speed limit enforcement, people are not learning to assess their driving speed based on their skills, conditions of the car or the quality of the road. Instead they blindly obey a number posted on the side of the road or alternatively use their energy trying to avoid a speed camera."

Peter Hanenberger - Holden....

Hanenberger was particularly critical of the lack of training available to younger drivers, which he said was endangering lives.

Martin Ferguson - Labor....A little known Canberra car company. Mr Ferguson was quoted from a letter extracted via FOI (Friends Of I) and forwarded to the AGB....

"I do agree with you that there are significant benefits in advanced driver training schemes and I will endeavour to discuss this with my State and Territory counterparts who, ultimately, have responsibility for this area."

In a nutshell: as a matter of State Government priority it's all too clear. Why waste money teaching the public to drive, when money can be made out of them if you don't. Win. Win.