ANNUAL TESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1940, Page 6

ANNUAL TESTS

FOR 70-YEAR-OLD DRIVERS.

REGULATIONS GAZETTED,

(Per Press Association—Copyright)

WELLINGTON, April 29

Tho reissue of the regulations affecting motorists’ driving licenses are published in a supplementary Gazette to-day. They contain several important provisions and embody in regulation form various acts passed during the last session of Parliament. One of the new regulations states that overseas tourists may have their overseas licenses endorsed without fee by the local authorities at the main ports, such licenses to be effective for the remainder of the licensing year. Overseas drivers, however, will have to undergo examination in the Dominion traffic regulations. People over 70 years of age in future will be required to undergo an annual driving test, and will also find it necessary to have medical certificates of fitness to drive motor vehicles.

Perhaps the most important of the new provisions is that affecting the accident-prone .driver, Under the regulations the Commissioner of Transport will bo empowered to review the licenses of persons who may. be deemed to bqjpangerous drivers and cancel those licenses if he sees fit.

Appeal from the commissioner’s ruling to a. stipendiary magistrate is also provided, for, the cost of security for such an appeal being .20s. . . In future persons under 24 years of age' will not; be permitted : to. drive taxis unless they are already engaged in this occupation or are over 2l and are approved by’, ; >th;e Minister for Transport oil the recommendation of the local body concerned.

Another portion of the regulations stipulates that persons under 18 will not be permitted to drive trucks of more than t>vo tons laden weight' unless they aid already doing so. . This applies at present to unladen trucks of that weight. All drivers of public passenger vehicles in future will require annual medical certificates, including drivers of passenger trucks. The latter, have not previously been covered in this respect.

Save in the case of public passenger vehicles, deafness or imperfect hearing will not debar people from obtaining driving licenses provided a medical iiiai. is prepared to give a certificate of general fitness for such a driver.