GREATER SAFETY ON ROADS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27148, 18 September 1953, Page 2

GREATER SAFETY ON ROADS

PROPOSALS BEFORE MOTOR UNION SUBCOMMITTEE ASKED FOR REPORT (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. September 17. Twelve suggestions to prevent road accidents were submitted at the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union at Wairakei today. A road safety sub-committee was set up to examine the proposals and “ to promote all measures within its power to reduce the accident rate.” The suggestions were made in a remit proposed by the Automobile Association (Tarapaki), and the sub-com? mittee was asked to report on all suggestions. including, but not confined to the following:— (1) More traffic officers patrolling the highways. (2) More stringent tests for driving licences, and “schools” for offenders before the reissue of suspended licences. (3) Road improvements, including better warnings at railway crossings, better lighting of hazards and crossings, ana catseyes in middle lines. (4) Enforcement of better anti-dazzle standards for headlights, and better checking for warrants of fitness. (5) Intensified education of adults and children and the holding of national road safety congresses on a wider basis than the Rpad Safety Council (6) Severer penalties in certain cases.

(7) Better. control of motor-cycling and prohibition of pillion-riding. Better control of cyclists. (To that end it should be made an offence for cyclists to ride recklessly or negligently, and a system. of delivering written warnings on the spot and keeping records of them should be considered.

<9), Better control of pedestrians. (It should be an offence to cross a road heedlessly, and a system of on-the-spot warnmgs might also be introduced.) (10) Priority for main road traffic. (11) Compulsory blood tests for offenders suspected by the police of intoxication

(12) The provision of adequate funds, primarily by the Government, o J^ prosecu^ road safety measures. The remit was passed unanimously.