CENSURED BY CORONER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 February 1929, Page 12

CENSURED BY CORONER.

MOTOEIST SWITCHED OFF HEADLIGHTS.

The first ease—so far as is known — is reported to have occurred in England recently, of a motorist being censured by a" coroner for switching off his headlights and so causing a fatality. This danger has been emphasised over and over again by experienced Australian motorists, but the practice is still persisted in by a good many drivers. “The Motor’’ (England), commenting on the occurrence, states as follows: “It appears that two men were pushing a barrow across Blackheath, and the car crashed into them from the roar, resulting in the death of one of the men. The motorist said that as he was proceeding across Biacldieath another car coming in the opposite direeI tion, with headlights on, dazzled him ' so much that lie switched his own off, thinking the other motorist would do the same. Ho did not do so, however, and in turning into the near side the crash occurred. The jury returned a verdict of “accidental death,” and said that the accident was due to the bad driving of de- ! fondant. The coroner, agreeing with •the jury, said he did not think the man ; was fit to drive a car. It was not right . to shut off his headlights and to blind himself so that he could not see the barrow. He considered it very bad and wicked driving, gross negligence which ; might have influenced the jury to return a verdict of manslaughter. j I The case is one that undoubtedly ! clearly -reveals in a. tragic manner the I : danger of switching off, but wo think the coroner’s strictures were somewhat severe. There arc evidently some motorists who still consider cutting out the headlights as an act of courtesy, and although the risks of doing so are enormous it does not necessarily ,fol- I low that a man who does it is not fit to | drive a motor car.” i