Many Traffic Patrols For Labour Week-end

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 7

Many Traffic Patrols For Labour Week-end

Al! available traffic officers will be patrolling Canterbury roads during Labour week-end, said the chief traffic officer of the Transport Department in Christchurch (Mr A. Goldsmith). Patrols will work day and night from Friday night to Tuesday morning. Vehicles used will include the unmarked patrol cars and several cars with microwave speed detector units. There will be motor-cycle patrols on the Main North road to help keep traffic moving, particularly on Monday evening.

Mr Goldsmith reminded motorists to keep well to the left and made sure they did not hold up other traffic. They should also be careful to make sure they did not follow too closely behind other vehicles, obeying the rule to keep at least one car’s length back for every 10 m.p.h. of their speed. During Repairs

Drivers should not try to travel too far in the time available, and if they had a breakdown they should make certain repairs were carried out with the car placed so it would not endanger other traffic. Nor should passengers

be allowed to stand about on the roadway while repairs were made or a wheel was changed. Drivers should park well off the road when they stopped for a rest or to look at scenery. When driving they should signal any manoeuvres in plenty of time to warn other traffic, and they should keep a close watch on following traffic in their rear-vision mirrors.

If night-driving was anticipated, motorists should make sure their lights were working and correctly aimed, and should remember to dip them both for approaching traffic and when following behind other vehicles. Accident Toll

Last Labour week-end six persons were killed and 250 were injured on New Zealand roads. The main causes of accidents were inattention, excessive speed, and driving after drinking. Monday was the worst day of the weekend—three were killed and 77 were injured. The worst time for accidents were on Friday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., on Saturday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and midnight, on Sunday between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and on Monday between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.