To all those who, like myself, have lost people they cared about through the carelessness and incompetence of others, you have my deepest sympathy and best wishes for a hopeful future.

All accidents are caused by mistakes.

Both the very young and the very old, in driving terms, can make the mistake of overestimating their abilities relative to the conditions. Retesting and retraining seem to be viable options where you have exceeded your own personal limits.

Some people make the mistake of underestimating the effect other distractions (phones, cigarettes, alcohol etc.) can have on their ability to drive safely. As above or punishment through a ban where an offence has been committed.

Where a mistake has been made, someone must undergo some form of inconvenience from which they emerge a better driver, otherwise it will always be an accident which happens to someone else until it's too late. Not Draconian punishment, just re-education. Wouldn't it be better if those who were unfit to drive made the decision for themselves? Perhaps as a result of a spell in a simulator?

Drink-driving advertising campaigns always target the "you just caused a horrific accident" viewpoint. I would recommend the "I was stopped for a lightbulb, tested and lost my licence and my job as a result" as a better deterrent for the hardened drink-driver.