A letter published in this paper last week has prompted the biggest response of any letter to date, with people admonishing Mags from Oranmore for giving out about people tailgating her while she is driving incorrectly in the right hand, overtaking, lane on the dual carriageway.

Mags' letter and the responses to it are symbolic of the problems with road safety in this country. While every driver will, at least, have read the 'Rules of the Road', some of us have forgotten them, or interpreted them incorrectly, and some of us use them as an excuse to drive dangerously.

Mags gives out about people tailgating her and flashing their lights at her while she is driving incorrectly in the overtaking lane, but seems to applaud herself for driving at the 100kph speed limit, criticising fellow drivers who would try to pass her at greater speed. Yet, both drivers could be accused of driving dangerously. The speed limit is a guide not a target after all.

But, while it would be easy to criticise Mags for driving incorrectly, she would not have a point if the right lane on the dual carriageway was used correctly and the Rules of the Road were abided to a T. However, this lane is more often occupied by drivers who could not be bothered repeatedly entering and exiting the right hand lane, especially if they are taking the third or fourth exit at the next roundabout.

Anyone who has done their driving test may remember the instructor telling them that one has to read every situation as it presents itself, responding, with the rules in mind, to what one comes across. While Mags from Oranmore may be in the wrong lane, it does not give the car behind her an excuse to tailgate dangerously.

And, there are problems with the rules themselves. While it is not against the law to use a hand-free mobile phone, new research published this week indicates that you are four times more likely to have a crash if you use a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving. Using a mobile phone while driving distracts the driver, impairs their control of the vehicle and reduces their awareness of what is happening around them.

And, while very few people would dare to drink and drive these days, how many people drive when they are tired, which has been proven to be just as dangerous as being over the drink drive limit?

According to the 'Rules of the Road' website, you must have a 'satisfactory' knowledge of the rules to get a driving licence, but learning about road safety doesn't stop once you pass a driving test, it takes a lifetime. We might all remember that.

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