SAFE HANDLING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 246, 29 September 1934, Page 11

SAFE HANDLING

Speed at Intersections

An average of one-half second elapses between the time a motorist decides to apply his brakes and when he actually does so. This fact, established by recent studies, is cited by the public safety department of the California State Automobile Association in a statement discussing stopping distance and safe speed at street or highway intersections, states the “San Francisco Chronicle.” During that half second's time a ear driven at only 30 miles per hour will travel about 22 feet, the department points out. Most cars with good four-wheel

brakes need 50 feet in which to stop when travelling at 30 miles per hour. Adding the distance for the half-second interval this makes a. total of 72 feet travelled before the ear is brought to a stop. Since most streets are not more than CO feet wide, the danger involved

in approaching intersections at more than the legal speed is declared to be obvious.

The statement draws attention to the speed limit of 15 miles per hour fixed by California law for travel across intersections where the view of the driver is obstructed. The term “ob-

structed” is defined by law as meaning when one cannot see all traffic within 200 feet of the intersection on Altering streets during the last 100 feet of approach to the crossing.