Prince Philip's mishap.

Following this collision on the A149, much has been said in the media about it.  The A149 is a 60 mph road and a very busy one.  Norfolk County Council are reportedly now going to reduce this stretch to 50 mph and instal average speed safety cameras.  But is this enough in itself?

At the accident spot, where the B1439 adjoins it and the Babingley road is immediately opposite, would it not be more realistic to have a 40 mph limit for some distance either side of the junction? The CMAC site alongside the B1439 is very busy with caravans and motorhomes regularly arriving and departing.  These outfits will almost invariably arrive from, and depart towards, the direction of Kings Lynn.  Caravans in particular will have a relatively slow acceleration speed as they turn left out of the B1439, and into the B1439 from the right-turn lane of the A149.  Also, there is a considerable flow of cars and motorhomes leaving the club site and turning right onto the A149 towards the popular North Norfolk coastal tourist spots.

The media also used the incident as a side issue to again attempt to highlight the fallibility of elderly drivers.  I do not argue that there may be an occasional elderly driver who might be advised to hand in their licence, but the incidence of elderly drivers actually causing accidents is quite a small section of the total.  Bad drivers spans the whole spectrum of age range, and most accidents are the result of impatience and not allowing enough time for the journey.  How many innocent elderly drivers and caravan and motorhome owners who do get involved in an accident are in fact victims of this impatience?