TRAFFIC CONTROL IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21904, 3 October 1936, Page 15

TRAFFIC CONTROL IN AMERICA

■ TUITION FOR OFFENDING MOTORISTS TENDENCY TO RAISE SPEED LIMIT [THE FBES9 special Service.] AUCKLAND, October 2. In view of the often-repeated intention of the Hon. R. Semple, Minister for Transport, to reduce the number of traffic accidents, the policy followed by automobile associations in America makes interesting reading. A statement of the view of those bodies on road safety and the best way of ensuring it, was made by Mr Samuel Brest, managing director of the America Automobile Association, who arrived by the Mariposa. Mr Brest emphasised three points. The general opinion of the American states is that it is better to prevent accidents than to punish offenders—that is, education rather than prosecution. The applicants for driving licenses have to undergo a fairly severe test, and American associations are determined to root out the evil of intoxicated motorists. One practice he recommended was the establishment of what were called traffic violation schools. An offender might be sentenced to attend a course at one of these, instead of being fined a relatively small sum. The lesson of the school was remembered long after a fine would have been forgotten. The schools were run by the Police Department, and at them was taught the need for safe driving and an adherence to the traffic la^s. Commenting on safe driving speeds, he said that in some states the speed limit on open roads in which the houses were 100 ft apart, was 40 miles an hour “We believe that on the whole this is a little too slow,” Mr Brest said, “It is not necessarily fast speed that causes an accident. In other states there is no speed limit, and the only charge, is that of reckless driving. This, of course, may be harsher in its application than the imposition of any speed limit. The tendency is rather to increase speed limits than te lower ■them/',---. >