Recent debate concerning road safety in Enfield has made me think of a film at the cinema: Fast & Furious 7 – where the main characters have strong emotional and physical attachments to their cars.

The film establishes a strong link between driving and identity as being expressed by travelling at high speeds. It sells the car to the viewer as a thrill, a high-speed experience.

In addition, cars in the mainstream media have often been promoted as machines which not only embody speed, but prosperity and freedom. Vin Diesel’s character expresses this when he says: “I live my life a quarter-mile at a time. Nothing else matters: not the mortgage, not the store, not my team... For those ten seconds or less, I’m free.” The car is here more than a mode of transport, it’s freedom itself.

Cars are often promoted as safe, sustainable and appropriate for urban life. Reality, however, tells us a different story; a story of high levels of road traffic deaths.

A recent report informs the public: “We have now reached a point where mortality in young people [in the UK] is no longer dominated by childhood illnesses.” We have basically reached a pinnacle in our history as car users.

If you watch the film you will experience a moving tribute to actor and star of the Fast & Furious franchise Paul Walker, who was killed while his friend was driving a car at high speeds. A more fitting tribute would be to refocus transport policy to improve health and wellbeing, the debate must remain geared towards road safety.

Phil Tsappas

York Road, Winchmore Hill