DANGEROUS DRIVING

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 21, 23 February 1940, Page 5

DANGEROUS DRIVING

SEVERAL PROSECUTIONS OFFENDERS FINED Fines ranging from £J 10s to £5 were imposed on drivers of motor vehicles convicted of dangerous driving in the Pukekohe Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. All cases were brought by Inspector N. G. Davenport of the Transport Department. Driving at an excessive speed on the Great South Road near St. Stephen’s School, Bombay, cost a truck driver, Allan Pearcey, of Auckland, £5 with costs 10s and an endorsement of his licence. Inspector Davenport said that on January 14 his attention was drawn to a small car passing the Bombay-Pukekohe intersection at a high speed. He was able to cheek the speed of the vehicle down the hill towards the school and- found it to be 68 miles per hour. . lie said that lie lost the car at the corner as he was not game lo take it on at the speed the defendant was travelling. There were six persons in the ear.

-No License William Hawkins, of Auckland, was charged with dangerous driving at ’(Vhangamarino, on January 14, also with not being in possession of a driver’s licence. The Inspector said that defendant repeatedly crossed the centre line of the road and was driving a truck at about 38 miles per hour. Defendant’s excuse was that he had to make an urgent delivery of icecream to Hamilton and was not watching his speedometer. On demand he produced a licence to drive a private motor car. Fines of 30s on the first charge and 5s on the second were imposed with costs fixed at 10s in each case.

Speed at Pokeno Driving at an excessive speed and entering the restricted area at Pokeno ai 52 miles per hour cost .fames Richard Johnson of Auckland, £4 and costs £l. Inspector Davenport said that he followed defendant from .Mercer at a high speed and saw him enter the restricted area at the speed stated, slowing down to 35 m.p.h. near the. tea-rooms.

A similar offence cost Roberi John Thompson £2 10s and costs 10s. It was stated by Inspector Davenport that on January 1 he saw defendant driving south into the restricted area at Pokeno at 40 m.p.h. and in an endeavour to negotiate the corner defendant’s vehicle went off the sealing on its incorrect side of the road and swayed violently before being righted. The defendant had said that the smooth tread on his tyres and a wet road surface were responsible for the skid. The charge was dangerous driving and defendant was convicted and lined, the amount stated.

James Joseph Clark was charged with a similar offence committed at Whangamarino. The traffic inspector said that defendant overtook another car on the crown of a hill where visibility. was less than 100 feet. Tn order to avoid fin accident both the Inspector and the driver of the overtaken car had to brake suddenly. A fine of £2 10s and costs 10s was imposed.