Drivers Warned About Speed At Intersections

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30216, 22 August 1963, Page 20

Drivers Warned About Speed At Intersections

Most accidents in Christchurch were caused by the excessive speed of motorists over intersections, said the Traffic Superintendent of the Christchurch City Council (Mr J. F. Thomas) yesterday. Mr Thomas said that a check recently showed that vehicles within 30 feet of an intersection were sometimes travelling 25 to 30 miles an hour. This was too fast. Motorists should remember that at 30 miles an hour they were covering about 45 feet a second. Reaction times and braking distances were such that the driver could not possibly give way to a vehicle on his right which might be travelling at a similar speed. With rain and possibly ice on the roads, braking distances were much greater, and the possibility of accident was increased. “At all times, and not only during the present campaign on intersection behaviour, we ask motorists to approach intersections at such a speed that they are able to stop if that is necessary,” Mr Thomas said.

City Council traffic officers were checking speeds over intersections and taking action against motorists who failed to comply with the righthand rule.

Officers were also closely watching intersections governed by compulsory stop or give-way signs. At compulsory stop signs drivers should completely stop their vehicles in such a position that they could see whether the road was clear. The position in which cars should stop was normally indicated on the road. Drivers should not go on to the intersection until the road was clear. At a give-way sign the only material difference was that motorists were not required to stop unless conditions required it. The duty of a motorist on a road governed by a give-way sign was to give wag to all traffic. The rif&t-hand rule did not apply when cars were under the control of such signs. “We appeal to all motorists, particularly in view of the bad weather, to exercise the utmost caution, especially when approaching or crossing intersections,” Mr Thomas said.