Thumbs down for 'D' sign

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 7

Thumbs down for 'D' sign

A reader’s suggestion that motorists convicted of drunken driving should be legally required to display a “D” sign on their vehicles is not favoured by the experts. Not only is the enforcement of such a regulation considered to be almost impossible by both the Ministry of Transport and lawyers, but the principle behind the suggestion is itself suspect in the view of Christchurch’s leading accident docotr. Dr Morgan Fahey. Legislation should concentrate on identifying alcoholic drivers, not punishing them, he believes.

There would be no improvement to the present, appalling situation until the disease of alcoholism could be readily identified and treated in the case of drunken drivers, said Dr Fahey.

Some alcoholic drivers now appeared frequently before the Courts without being identified aS such by either the medical or legal profession, he said.

The Ministry of Transport considers that even if

the enforcement of such a regulation was considered desirable, it would create too many headaches for traffic officers.

If the sign was to be an effective way of advertising the motorist’s offence, it would need to be permanently affixed to his vehicle. But that would create unfair difficulties for other drivers of the vehicle if it belonged to him, or for the owner of the vehcile if the ofsender merely happened to drive it regularly. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tranpsort believes other traffic hazards might be created unnecessarily if the prublic was made aware of a driver’s past record. Other drivers might be inclined to take dangerous evasion action if encountering a vehicle bearing the ominous “D.” If past experience with the learner-driver plates is anything to go by, the Ministry awaits proof that such a system has much chance of success.

It certainly seems that legislative efforts could be better directed elsewhere.