Road Safety

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 259, 1 November 1940, Page 4

Road Safety

COURTESY IN STREETS WELL-LIGHTED “It is necessary to draw the attention of motorists to the fact that in adequately lighted town thoroughfares it is not courteous nor good driving to travel with the headlights full on, ’ ’ says the latest road safety message of i the Automobile Association (Manawatu), Inc. I 1 * There have been many instances of inconvenience and irritation caused to other drivers by the practice of keeping the headlights full on. In busy town streets, particularly, with pedestrians, trams, or buses, and other road-using units to contend with, drivers appreciate the courtesy of dimmed or dipped | headlights. Indeed, it is often found * that the parking lights are all that is necessary in some streets. It all depends on the amount of street lighting provided. “The regulations provide for the nonuse of headlights in well-lighted streets. This is clause 10 of regulation 7:— “Where the light from some other artificial source than the headlamps is sufficient to render clearly visible a pedestrian or similar substantial object at a distance of 300 feet or when the vehicle is stationary, the driver of any motor-vehicle shall use the lights from side lamps instead of from headlamps or shall dim or dip the lights from the headlamps. ’ ’ “Lack of thought is the real cause for driving on full headlights in welllighted city streets, but there is also a certain amount of ignorance involved. Drivers coming into a city from the country neglect to adjust their lighting to the conditions which obtain in city

streets, and even when approaching drivers give them warning of neglect they often fail to take notice of the hint so given. The proper aud intelligent use of headlights is a matter for each driver. Think of the other fellow always and adjust headlights to meet conditions.”