ROAD SAFETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 21, 24 July 1936, Page 10

ROAD SAFETY

DRIVERS AND LIQUOR TIGHTENING THE LAW A DEPUTATION Far-reaching amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, with the idea of lessening the danger to life from motorists who arc under the slightest influence of liquor while driving were suggested to the Minister of Transport (the Hon. E. Semple) :by a deputation : from the New Zealand Alliance- today. ; Mr. R. A.- Wright, M.P., introduced the deputation. ■■-■-■ The first speaker was the Rev. J. R. Blanchard, president of.the New Zealand Alliance, who said that they were present to draw attention to what was probably the main cause of motoring accidents at the present time. " Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M.i put it on record earlier in this year that J'there are two main causes of'serious-accidents. The first is alcohol and the second is reck1' -ness, the first often leading to the second." On another .occasion he said: "Even one drink to' the" driver of a motor-car affects, his driving." ' "He is not alone in this connection," said Mr. Blanchard. "Not only in New Zealand, but also the world over, Judges and1 Magistrates keep sounding this word of warning. Not only the intoxicated driver, but also the sub-intoxicated driver, that is, the driver who, though not intoxicated, has partaken of s6me I liquor, and has therefore impaired his ability to drive a vehicle without risk to anyone, is ' a menace on the road today. j LEGISLATIVE STEPS. j "This has been recognised in other I countries and legislative steps have been taken in respect of it. In Norway, for example, a law has been in existence since 1916,. forbidding motor drivers, while on duty, to take alcoholic beverages, and forbidding it for, six hours before "going on duty. In Germany, a warning card is issued to all applicants for a licence. The applicant' must read the warning aloud to the officer and sign a book certifying that he has done, so. In Sweden a law provides that motorists-.against whom the charge of driving while drunk might be levelled, shall submit to tests for the presence of alcohol'in the blood. These tests are explained in an extract from the British Medical Journal. From this it is evident that legislative action in other countries is grappling with this terrible problem in a way that we have not done yet in New Zealand. . '.'We. would therefore urge upon you the serious consideration of the following practical suggestions:—(l) That a similar notice be issued to all motorists throughout, the Dominion as that in use in Germany. (2) That a copy of the British: Medical Association report on this matter be placed in the. hands of all registered'motorists in New Zealand. •. ' - • ■ . "We would also suggest amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act as would repair its defectiveness. As it stands at present, the Act deals adequately with the person who, when in a state of intoxication, drives a motor vehicle; but it altogether ignores the danger of allowing on the road the sub-intoxicat-ed driver. The latter tends to be the graver menace of tHe two, for while the drink lie has taken may not render him intoxicated, it certainly makes him think he is a more capable driver than he really is.-. It leads him away from caution into taking risks, and it impairs his faculties, possibly only slightly, but yet sufficiently to render him less responsive in eye and hand to driving conditions and situations that, arise without a moment's warning. AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED. In view of this, we put forward for consideration some such amendments to the Act as follows:— - 1. "Amend sections.27. and 28 of the Motor Vehicles Act by deleting the words 'in a' state of 'intoxication' whereever they occur and substituting therefor the words 'under the influence of intoxicating liquor.'," 2. Add the following sub-sections to section 28: (a) Any person who partakes of intoxicating liquor whlie he is in control of a motor vehicle or during a period of three hours'prior to'driving such vehicle shall be liable,on summary : conviction to a fine, of £10; (b) Any person who' is arrested under suspicion of being under the influence of intoxicating liquor or is suspected of infringing the provisions. of sub-section (a) hereof shall when required submit himself to such blood tests as may with the approval of the Minister be required. * ■ (c) For the purposes of "this Act a person shall be held to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor whose j blood when tested contains alcohol in excess of a percentage" which shall be determined by the Minister of Transport after consultation with the Minister of Public Health. "These amendments may seem drastic, but we believe that the problem created by modern motor traffic, with the damage to life and limb arising therefrom, calls for some drastic remedy," . said Mr. Blanchard. "A further matter to which we would draw attention is the-relation of the conditional licence granted to racecourses and show "grounds, where vast concourses of people congregate, travelling to and from in motor vehicles. We believe that such licences, with their inducement to drink, have a direct bearing on this question of the relation of liquor to motor accidents and fatalities. We suggest that it be a matter for research.on your part as] Minister of Transport. If it is clear that accidents and.fatalities do not happen on such occasions, then we shall not press this matter in relation to this particular question. But if on investigation it is proved.that accidents and fatalities do occur under such circumstances then we hold that, life and limb being of major importance, the withholding of conditional licences from such places becomes a most urgent and necessary matter. Mr. T. B. Strong emphasised the danger of motor-drivers taking even small quantities of liquor. Mr. H. E. Combs stressed the rights of the pedestrian to use the roads in safety. He asked the Minister to take some action regarding the responsibility of an owner who lent a car to a driver who took liquor. Mr. F. C. Spratt said that the proposals made by the deputation were not to be regarded as the last word. "This is not part of our policy to restrict the sale of liquor," he said, "but only to say, if you do drink, you should not drive before a certain time afterwards." MINISTER'S REPLT. Replying to the deputation, Mr. Semple said that he was not pursuing a dogmatic attitude on the question The Motor Vehicles Bill which had been passed by the House was an attempt to protect 'further human lives. "A man is entitled to get drunk in New Zealand as long as he goes to bed or plants himself somewhere where he is not a danger to anybody, but he is not entitled to take liquor and become a menace to the life of his fellow citizens, and as far: as is humanly possible to stop him from doing that, I will,"' said Mr. Semple. He. said that the fact that there had been 47 deaths on the roads in five weeks must draw public attention to the matter. "I will go the whole distance wfth. you as!

far as the drunken or partly-in-toxicated motorist is concerned," he said. "I am satisfied that one does not have to take much of that stuff before he loses his balance a bit." The Minister said that he intended calling a conference of all parties interested in the matter when Parliament adjourned, and opportunity would be taken to see what might be written into the law. He was not suggesting that the proposals made to him today would be adopted in whole. It might be possible to, amend the Bill when it was in the Legislative Council, and he was not opposed to domg that. Some of the suggestions made by Mr. Blanchard ,and which might be effective might be embodied. Mr. Semple said that the citizens of New Zealand must join with the Government arid the Transport Department in attempting to create a greater understanding of the problem. It must be understood that the man must be the. master of. the machine. VESTED INTERESTS. When referring to the necessity ■for educating people, Mr. Spratt remarked that the Minister might be up against vested interests. "I don't care what vested interests interfere; I fear none of them," said Mr. Semple. "I am worrying about God's innocent - people who are needlessly slaughtered in this country." . In conclusion the Minister, detailing the steps he was taking to make the roads safer, said that he favoured'an improved policing of the roads by men whose duty it would be to instruct motorists as well as stop wilfully care1c is driving. He was securing. a list of motorists who had been convicted of intoxication while driving, and that would be handy when licences were being renewed. He thought also that impounding the car as well as punishing the man would be effective. Mr. Semple undertook to, give every consideration' tol the deputation's re- • quest. ■ ■