However it might have been nicer if the discussion paper had been more freely available and at the start of winter so that the ensuring discussion could include our visitors too.

While I think that road safety is of the utmost importance, I think that there are some serious flaws in the RTA's approach.

The organisation does not target the majority of accidents with its 4WD proposal. It's own figures clearly reveal that the majority of accidents take place in 2WD vehicles but this proposal does nothing to address that issue.

And it's an issue that requires rather more effort than simple regulation.

Driver education must be at the heart of any move to curb the toll of accidents coupled with reliable information from roadside signs.

How many of us have seen the sign that chains are needed and then proceeded to drive along a completely open road.

Incidents like that do not inspire confidence in the signs.

Drivers education is no easy task but as anyone reading local people's comments can see, there is a clear understanding of the need to drive to the conditions and not to speed.

And that's something that simply putting on chains or snow tyres won't fix.