PUBLIC SAFETY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 24

PUBLIC SAFETY

TEACH THE CHILDREN

MOVE XN AUSTRALIA

■" The Koyal Automobile Club of Australia, realising that the number of accidents in which motor vehicles are involved, and people more or less seriously injured is much too groat, has devoted considerable attention to methods of prevention. A campaign in tlio interests of public safety is to be launched by the club, and as a foundation every means of educating children on the dangers of the roads, and in formation of cautious habits, will be inaugurated. It is realised by ovcry motorist that a large proportion of the responsibility for ensuring safety to road users dovolvos upon him, whether driving in city stroets or country lanes. But of responsibility a. fair sharo must also bo taken by each other person, either pedestrian or driver, also using tlio same road. TJndor modern conditions it is not reasonable for any section of the traffic to claim an exclusive right to the whole of tho road. For pedestrians the footpaths are reserved to enable them to travel with safety in the direction in-which they wish to go. They also have certain inalienable rights as to crossing the vehicle portion of tho road, but moral responsibility devolvos upon them to see that in doing so they do not incur avoidable danger by carelessness, and that they do not selfishly cause delay, congestion, and unnecessary anxiety and nerve strain on vohiclo drivers. Tho driver's task is a trying ono without the added difficulty of avoiding selfish pedestrians. With a view to reaching tho children educationally, which is recognised as tho surest way of affecting tho public mind and oventually roduciug accidents, tho Koyal Automobilo Club iiitonds approaching tho Education Department, the proprietors of cinema theatres, such associations as tho different Parents and Citizens', Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, and others, the shiro and municipal councils, agricultural sociotics, literary institutes, tho proprietors of advertising hoarding's, tho principal motoring organisations in Sydiioy and other cities and towns of tho State, and any other aveuue of publicity, which can bo discovered, with requests for co-operation. Ways and moans will be devised of publishing and distributing picturo traffic books for tho education of. the younger children. POINTS TO; BE STRESSED. Points which will bo impressed upon the minds of tho childron will bo tho dangor of heedlessly rushing off a footpath, but especially at places midway along blocks, or from behind stationary vehicles, or playing on tlio roadway, riding bicycles, toy tricycles, scooters, billy-carts, etc., on tho roads. Tho adult portion of thio population, it is realised, will bo harder to reach, and a method of enlisting their co-operation will bo ovolved. In this connection it is proposed to organise demonstrations of tho dangors of modern road traffic and tho precautions necessary on both sides to minimiso thorn. Excellent work in this direction is being dono in tho United States by tlio Cycle Trades' Association, which keeps two representatives constantly truvolling throughout the country, visiting schools and organising gatherings, whefro children are givon praotical instruction in tho sai'o and correct use of their bicycles, tho observance of traffic regulations, and procautions for ensuring thoir own and othor people's safety, and tho propor enjoyment of thoir bicycles, with duo regard to tho rights of others. Although it would bo expensive, tho grout motoring organisations could find a way of applying tho - sumo idea at least in Sydney, Nowcnstle, and somo of' tlio larger towns, while the lessons imparted could bo standardised in bonk form. It must not bo forgotten that the instruction givon is not only immediately nocessary, but must bo repeated over and over again to reach ovory child in tho Slate, whilo parents' interest should also bo onlisted to ensure that they do their sharo in impressing tho lossons of safety first upon their children's minds. This, necessitating as it will the practice of tho ideas taught, would also havo a bonolicial offect upon the older people in inducing thorn to observe simplo rules for avoiding causing trouble when -they aTo eithor driving in their own vehicles, or throwing unfair responsibilities on othor drivers by careless Habits when thoy form parts of the pedestrian traffic.