SAFETY FIRST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 187, 21 May 1938, Page 3

SAFETY FIRST.

OPENING OF CAR DOORS. "The charge preferred against a North island motorist of negligently obstructing the free use of a public place by opening, the door of his motorcar, focusses interest on an aspect of road safety which deserves more attention than it gets,” says the latest safety message of the Automobile Association, Canterbury, Incorporated. "In the North Island case the motorist was alleged to have opened the door of his car, and a passing cyclist collided with the door and was injured. Tlie prosecution was laid under Section 4 of the Police Offences Act, and the motorist had to pay 33s in fine and costs.

“Motorists who use city streets to any extent must have noted many instances where drivers have halted,* and then opened a door dangerously close to passing traffic. While there is a danger to the passing motorist as well as to the driver of the parked car the trouble is accentuated when a cyclist is involved. The doors of the modern car are .very wide, and encroach several feet On to the roadwav in the path of •passing traffic. In some places local body by-laws cover the offence, but motorists should know that whether there are local by-laws or not there is provision for prosecution in the Police Offences Act.

“The requirement that motorists should not open the doers of cars in such a. way as to create risk for passing traffic is an elementary rule of ordinary commonsense. “Good, safe drivers with a sense of duty toward themselves, tlieir vehicles, and the well-being of others on the road, particularly cyclists, do not need to be reminded that before opening a car door on the' traffic side, they should make absolutely certain that other traffic is not approaching. Often a look in the rear-view mirror is not .sufficient. A cyclist may easily be masked from view in the blind spot represented by the panelling between the rear window and the rear corner of the car. And when drivers have made certain that there is_ no danger and they have alighted they should close the door as soon as possible and get out -of the track of traffic.

“'Some drivers act carelessly in opening doors, and then stand about on the roadway as though car ownership conferred some proprietary road rights. The correct place for driver and passengers after they have alighted from a. car is on the footpath. They have changed status; they, have become pedestrians, and if motorists expect pedestrians to be on the footpath they should apply the rule to themselves. “While there is a legal responsibility on a motorist in regard to the safe opening of a door of his car there is also a moral responsibility on him to see that his rear seat passengers alight o ! n the footpath side, or if they must alight on the traffic side that they do so with the maximum of caution. The not uncommon sight of a car being halted and all four doors being flung open is suggestive of failure to understand the danger created. Even when his car is stationary the motorist has a duty to other users of the road in the manner indicated.”