ROAD SAFETY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 230, 27 August 1938, Page 15

ROAD SAFETY

' MOTOR UNION'S WORK. A FUNDAMENTAL AIM. "A fundamental aim of all Automobile Association work is to achieve safe motoring," stated the report submitted by the president (Dr E. E. Porritt) to the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union in Hawera; yesterday. "Consideration of the various services—whether it be signposting, road information, traffic regulation, standards of mechanical equipment or representations regarding road conditions—will show that safety is a predominant element. In recent years the Government, through the Transport Department, has concerned itself with this question much more than formerly. One result of this was the appointment by Hon. It. Semple of a National Road Safety Council. The Motor Union's opinion was that the best results would be obtained if this national council • were given executive powers instead of being merely an advisory body as at present, and if its constitution were revised to give road users more adequate representation. The Minister of Transport has not seen his way to accede to the union's request, but the meetings of the council have been held more regularly during the past year than during the previous year. Since Mr G. L. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport, addressed the last annual conference, a definite arrangement has bee), arrived at for liis department to subsidise associations for road safety work carried out where the proposals nave been submitted to and approved by the department "Associations are firm in their belief that education of school pupils in road safety principles is essential, andaccordingly have continued their lectures to school children wherever possible. In addition to this, however, representations have been made to the Government to have instruction in road safety included in the syllabus of teachers' training colleges, and for this . instruction to be taken more seriously in the schools. It is encouraging to \ note from the latest statistics avail- , able that, for a period of 19 months prior to September, 1936, compared . with a similar period since that date, J they show the number of deaths from i road accidents has dropped from 3.31 ' to 2.65 for each million gallons *of ] petrol consumed. It is the opinion oi 3 the union that more could be achieved - bv bettor co-operntion between traffic • officers and the police in the education ( of road users as to their obligations. 1 Pedestrians and cyclists, while being 1 subject to regulation, appear to be per- ] mitted to transgress to a greater ex- f tent than operators of motor vehicles, I for although motorists are subjected to strict application of the regulations for the control of road traffic, the same cannot be said of other classes of road users."

PROSECUTIONS FOR OFFENCES. “During the year the Transport Department instituted a system whereunder particulars of alleged offences detected by traffic officers are furnished to the person concerned at the time of the alleged offence. The offender may then make an explanation to the Commissioner of Transport who, after reviewing the facts of the case, will decide whether or not prosecution is to lie proceeded with. Prior to the introduction of this scheme inspectors acted on their own initiative in taking proceedings. “In view of tho fact that the Minister of Transport has expressed desire that road users be educated by cooperation and not by persecution, the working of this scheme is of interest. For the six months to March 31 last, 2246 offences under the Motor Vehicles Act were reported by inspectors of the Transport Department, and in 1824 cases, or 81 per cent, the offenders were prosecuted. The annual report of the department states that during tho year ended March 31 last the total number of prosecutions brought for offences reported by the department’s inspectors under the Motor Vehicles Act was 2535. It would appear that prosecutions • have more than doubled since the commencement of the offence notice system. “The union is exercising vigilance to \see that' explanations made by offenders, which often may make admission of an offence, are not used indiscriminately in bringing prosecutions. The principle of the system which gives the offender, notice of what he has done at the time has much to commend it, and for that reason the union considers it should also apply in police cases as well as in cases dealt with by inspectors of the Transport Department.

NUMBER PLATE FIXATION. “Much attention lias been given over past years to the unreasonable regulation regarding the affixing of number plates on motor vehicles when relicensing. The Minister of Transport has now agreed to introduce legislation making it lawful for new number plates to be affixed at any time on the 31st day of May . in each year instead of at midnight on that day as at present.

“In an endeavour to reduce the loss resulting from forest arid scrub fires, Automobile Associations have assured the Commissioner of State Forests of their willingness to allow patrols to be appointed honorary forest rangers. Instruction in duties is to be given by Conservators of Forests to automobile association officers as opportunity offers.”