ROAD ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22340, 2 March 1938, Page 8

ROAD ACCIDENTS

TO TUB EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —May I ask for a little space to comment on the Hon. R. Semple’s statements on motor-cars, etc. . One sees in almost every day’s paper something that the Minister intends to inflict on the motoring public. First it was the brake test—ana quite right to have good brakes—but has the test resulted in fewer accidents. It is doubtful, as they are still numerous and it is safe to say that 90 per cent, of them are caused by new and up-to-date cars. Seeing that the brake test has failed to- do away with the accidents, we are now to have the driver’s licence tightened up. I think 1 am safe in saying that all the tightening up of the driver’s licence will not stop the accidents, as it has been proved that those driving cars the longest are those having most accidents. It seems they become over confident. Just as long as cars are allowed on the roads capable of travelling up to 80 miles an hour—and some you see advertised guaranteed to do 100 miles an hour, there will be accidents, and the more new cars on the road, the more accidents. Why not start on the speed limit and have the cars governed down to a reasonable speed; then there will be a chance of stopping some of the accidents. I think that if these accidents were looked into, one would find that speeding is the cause of nearly every one.—Yours, etc., MOTOR DRIVER. March 1, 1938.