THE abduction and murder of three young girls in recent weeks caused a great deal of media attention and widespread concern.

However, we were told on the programme Tonight with Trevor McDonald that such murders are extremely rare. We were not given precise figures, but whatever the figure it is totally unacceptable. They are evil, horrific and devastating crimes.

But there is another crime which threatens, violates and kills our children. It is anything but extremely rare yet is every bit as horrific and devastating. It is only the lack of media coverage and the general acceptance and practice of this crime which disguises the true devastation and injustice suffered by the bereaved.

What is this crime? Negligent, irresponsible and law-breaking driving. Driving too fast and too close, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, driving for too long and driving without the relevant documents, which often means without an MOT which renders the vehicle unfit to drive. These are all intimidating and unlawful acts which effectively transform a powerful and dangerous machine into a lethal weapon.

In 1996, the death toll for children up to the age of 15 was 270; in 1997 it was 255; in 1998 it was 206; 1999 it was 221; 2000 it was 191; 2001 it was 218, and the figures available prior to these, going back to 1926, are far worse. Add to these, the children who are seriously injured and let us not ignore the children who suffer the despair of losing a parent in similar tragic circumstances.

In respect of child abduction and murder, the target of the Government and of society must surely be zero. And what is the target for reducing child fatalities on our roads? A 50 per cent reduction by the year 2010. It would appear therefore that we are willing to sacrifice the lives of no fewer than 1,500 children to our car culture, car-dependent demands.

Are we, as a society, destined to accept that the value of a child is determined by the way in which they are killed? Is anyone willing to suggest that the suffering of the bereaved is any less heartbreaking and devastating?

Twelve months on from the terrorist attack on America, the so-called civilised world stood still to express their support for the families of the 3,050 victims who were killed when evil extremists took control of powerful machines and turned them into lethal weapons. The level of understanding, sympathy and grief expressed at this time was unparalleled, and there is now unified support to fight this evil.

But ask the civilised world to share the suffering of the families of the hundreds and thousands of innocent victims who are killed in one year, 3,500 in Britain this last year, after "responsible" drivers have turned their powerful machines into lethal weapons, and the response is unsympathetic.

One hundred years of car culture and dependency has turned the civilised world into one populated by sick, selfish hypocrites who are as hard and unfeeling as the vehicles they drive and worship. Does being civilised and responsible not mean using our intelligence for good, for using technology to save lives, rather than to destroy them?

We call terrorists evil and extreme, but what of the people who resist all attempts to make the roads safer and ultimately save lives? The people behind newspapers like the Daily Mail, who print the view that speed cameras should be switched off, seemingly being more concerned with the revenue they raise than the lives they could save. They even go as far as to print an article by David Mills, a television producer, who tells us why speed cameras cost lives!

Then there is The Sun with their car freak supremo Jeremy Clarkson, who writes: "Speed is good, speed is right, speed works". In a civilised world, this insensitive, irresponsible cretin would not be allowed to effectively encourage people to turn cars into lethal weapons, any more than someone would be allowed to publicly encourage drug abuse or terrorism.

So why is there so much dissent with regard to speed cameras? It is because we are a car culture society, which prefers to accept less responsibility and accountability in order to make driving fun, convenient and comfortable. And the courts make it all worse by imposing pathetic sentences on the handful who are caught.

As a society, we demand the highest level of safety, competence and respect on trains, boats and aeroplanes, but deny the same to others when we drive our cars.

ALLAN RAMSAY,

Waterlane Street,

Radcliffe.