DRIVING TESTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 90, 16 April 1940, Page 8

DRIVING TESTS.

PROVISION MADE. TRANSPORT REGULATIONS. INVESTIGATING CASES. The provision made in the regulations for the examination of holders of motor drivers' licenses where necessary, and the investigation carried out by officers of the Transport Department in accident eases, were referred to to-day by Mr. J. E. Ainsworth, chief traffic inspector for the Auckland district, in replying to observations made by Mr. E. H. Crocott at the weekly luncheon of the Hamilton Rotary Club yesterday. Among other things, Mr. Grocott stated that there were too many people on the road with poor vision, and, at the present, there was no re-examination of drivers once their licenses had been granted.

Mr. Ainsworth directed attention to the fact that under regulation 13 of the Transport Law Amendment, 1939, power wm given to make regulations for the providing of special examination and testing of holders of motor drivers' licenses in any case where this was considered by the Commissioner of Transport to be necessary in the interest of pablie safety, and for the revocation of their licenses if the holders refused or neglected to eubmit to the examination or testing. Whei a license was cancelled under these circumstances, t'je bolder had the right of appeal to a stipendiary magistrate, whose decision was final.

"The Transport Department found the course provided for in the regulations to be necessary as * result of investigations made into the cases of 'accident repeaters'—people holding motor driving licenses who were subject to a number of accidents in succession/' said Mr. Ainsworth. "We have on record the case of one. man who had three accidents in three Tears, all resulting in injury to other persons. There are numerous cases of a similar nature on the files of the Department. In dealing with motorists of this type, the usual procedure is firstly to interview the 'accident repeater" and ascertain his version of accidents which have been recorded. Hie investigating officer usually conducts a test, with the approval of the driver, and makes general observations as to his driving ability and nervous temperament. In one case which comes to mind," added Mr. Ainsworth, "the driver persistently took l»s eyes off the road and turned to speak to the officer. His accidents, then, could be attributed not to lack of driving ability, but to inattentiveness while at the wheel of his motor car.

"In the Auckland district to date there has been no specific case of a driver's license being cancelled or revoked under the new legislation," concluded Mr. Ainsworth, "but a close check is kept on all 'aecident repeaters.' "