MOTORING TESTS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 110, 5 November 1935, Page 8

MOTORING TESTS

(To the Editor.)

, Sir,—ln last Wednesday's^'Evening Post" you published a report of the W.A.A.'s views on the number of accidents and the causes thereof, namely fast and slow driving. In my opinion there too many drivers on the road who are not able to drive or control a car under emergency conditions and should not have a licence. For instance a friend of mine wished to procure a taxi-driver's licence and after passing the driving test.he failed in the doctor's examination because his eyes were weak. He had been driving for years prior to the test and therefore may have been a possible source of danger to all and sundry for a considerable time] Most of the accidents that occur during the present days of fast cars are^the fault of incompetent drivers. The average motorist of today is unlikely' to clock more than 2000 miles in 12 months, and a taxidriver somewhere about 26,000. I myself have travelled approximately 160,000' in the last five and a half years, and, so far, I have not met with any mishaps. I have exceeded the limit any amount of times, but did not make a habit of cutting corners or excessive speeding over intersections. The reason for my freedom from accidents, is that I always kept on the alert for trouble and therefore was ready for anything to happen. Also when I approached an intersection I considered at all dangerous lj used my horn to good effect. Often j other cars that were approaching the' crossing from another direction failed to use theirs. If taxi-drivers can drive cars for several thousand miles in a year without accidents, in all weathers, and on all classes of roads, and private .car drivers cannot what is the answer? It simpty means that the ordinary driving "test is not hard enough and it should be made harder. Another thing that is rife is the complete ignorance of the two main rules of the road, by the average weekend driver, namely "Keep to the left" and "Give way to all traffic on the right." Incidentally the tramways should comply with the latter rule. I really think that all persons should be compelled to pass a doctor's examination for fitness, etc., as well.—l am etc., HAVE CARE.