SPEED OF CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1937, Page 10

SPEED OF CARS

80 MILES AN HOUR

NOT ALWAYS DANGEROUS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

TIMARU, This Day,

That a speed of 80 miles an hour is not .always dangerous was the ruling given by Mr. H. Morgan, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court today. He held that such a speed for an efficient highpowered car handled by a competent driver on a straight, clear stretch of road without intersections was not dangerous to the public.

The case, which was a test one, was one in which Thomas O. Fox, Timaru borough engineer, was charged with driving at a dangerous speed at Selwyn, 20 miles south of Christchurch. It was stated that he had travelled at 30 miles an hour. Evidence was given by a Transport Department traffic inspector that Fox was driving carefully and that the road surface was good. He had slowed down at an intersection, and when passing a service car, which was throwing oft: papers to children' on the roadside, he had reduced his speed to 20 miles an hour. His speed had been increased to 80 miles an hour on a straight, clear stretch of road with no intersections and very little traffic. In witness's opinion Fox was a competent driver, probably above the average. The inspector said that the Transport Department held as a question of principle that from 69 to 80 miles an hour was dangerous on any class of road.

The Magistrate said it was for the Legislature to fix a maximum speed. It had not been proved to his satisfaction that in the circumstances the speed of 80 miles an hour was dangerous. He informed the inspector that his decision could be tested in the Supreme Court.

The charge was dismissed,