SAFETY ON THE ROADS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22460, 22 July 1938, Page 20

SAFETY ON THE ROADS

Importance of Giving Signals "NEGLECT IS DANGEROUS" "Every driver or cyclist should make a practice of giving the correct signal at all times before carrying out any manoeuvre involving a change of direction," says the latest safety message of the Automobile Association, Canterbury. "There are still many motorists and cyclists who neglect to give signals and by doing so they wrongly give other road users the credit for possessing thought-reading powers. Failure to signal is always unsafe. Even the experienced driver lapses into the habit of failing to signal his intention to turn right if he is following the beaten track of the main highway. He should remember that the man behind may be a local driver who, planning to take the continuation of the road straight ahead, figures that those ahead of him are going the' same way. Everybody is not travelling the main highway all the time. "But, while signals are important at all times they are just as necessary on the open highway as in the congestion of city traffic. It is safety and courtesy to convey to other road users one's clearly-defined intentions, whether they are to go straight ahead at an intersection, to change direction, or slow down or halt. And once a signal has been given it should be acted upon as smartly as traffic conditions permit. "Signals are also imperative when one is halted by the kerbing, and intends to move out into the line of traffic. Far too many drivers rely solely on creeping out and taking the risk of passing traffic being sufficiently aware of what is happening. Passing traffic is entitled to the courtesy and consideration of being warned by signal of any threat to its line of progress. Actually, of course, good, safe drivers would never think of attempting to enter the traffic stream from a parked or halted position until the way is perfectly clear to carry out the manoeuvre without obstruction to passing traffic. "Some drivers make a habit of not giving signals of intention to halt or slow down in busy thoroughfares, the notion being apparently, that following drivers should be sufficiently alert to the needs of the traffic not to equire warning. "But the need is there all the same because of the many additional risk factors which enter into busy traffic driving. Another important consideration is this: The continual giving of signals by a driver not only makes that driver do so as an ingrained habit, but it acts as a /aluable educational factor for the benefit of other road users.

"Drivers have been noted going to the commendable extreme of giving a hand or automatic-device signal on a roadway free of other traffic either approaching or following. Wherever there are and no matter what the circumstances 'hey do not break the signalling habit. "One of tl. important ways in which motorists and cycKsts can assist materially in the greater safety and courtesy on the streets and roads is by eliminating the doubt which is created by the absence of properly-given signals. Make signalling a habit." THE MOTOR LIGHTING REGULATIONS "DRIVERS SHOULD DIP WHEN PASSING" Under the traffic regulations, 1936, it is not compulsory in every circumstance to dip lights when passing other vehicles, but dipping is recommended as a safety measure, say the traffic inspectors of the Transport Department. When passing other vehicles, a driver may extinguish the light from the off-side head-lamp only, and use his side-lights. Many drivers depart from this practice; sometimes only one side-light is working, and sometimes the head-light extinguished is not the off-side one. Errors like these make the driver liable to prosecution. Clause 10 of the traffic regulations says that where the light from -some artificial source other than the headlamps is sufficient for the driver to see clearly any person or object 00 feet away, the driver shall use the lights from side-lamps, instead of headlamps, or shall dim or dip the light.? from the head-lamps. That is to say, drivers should not have their light's full on in well-lighted streets, such as. for instance, the city parts of Colombo street or High street, or Riccarton avenue. Clause 6 of the regulations says that the figures and letters on the rear registration plate shall be clearly illuminated at 60 feet by a white light, the beams of which are not visible from the rear. Every trailer as well as every motorvehicle is required to have a tail-light visible at 300 feet to the rear. AMERICAN INDUSTRY In spite of the fact that 3,487,000 cars were manufactured and sold in the United States of America during 1937, a big increase on the 1936 figures, the net profits of the industry were well below those of the previous year. The five biggest manufacturers of cars between them had a turnover of £526,000,000 in 1937. which represents an increase of 12£ per cent, on the figures for 1936, yet the actual profits for 1937 were below those of 1936 by nearly £11,000,000. The cause of this is stated to be increased production costs, which involved the companies in question in an additional outlay for labour and materials of nearly £20,000,000. Another interesting feature of the American motor industry during 1937 was that nearly 7,000,000 used cars changed hands, approximately twice the number of new cars sold.

According to the latest figures received from America, for the week ended May 21, 1938, 54,564 cars and trucks were produced, as against 129.958 for the same week in 1937. Because of this reduced production, one out of every four cars coming from the factories is shipped for sale overseas, a proportion unique in the history of I the American motor industry.