Dangerous Driving On Far Northern Roads

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1939, Page 8

Dangerous Driving On Far Northern Roads

After having travelled for several months without suggestion of serious mishap, a motorist well accustomed to the road condtiions of the Far North recently experienced six narrow escapes in one day on the narrow, winding roads of the Whangaroa county. In view of the intensive road safety campaign sponsored by the Minister of Transport, this was most disconcerting, he said, when discussing the matter with a “Northern Advocate” representative. Wrong Side of Road Several of the vehicles concerned had been travelling at excessive speed and were negotiating corners well on the wrong side of the road, with consequent serious danger to traffic approaching from the opposite direction. As a result he himself had escaped serious injury or probable death by bare inches.

In one instance ho had been allowed only a small margin of 12 inches between his own wheels and a sheer drop of approximately 150 feet.

City Drivers

It was apparent that some of the other drivers were not accustomed to the narrow roads of the North, and it seemed fairly obvious that they were

city motorists. If more lined was taken of the Automobile Association warning signs stressing the need for extra care on

the most dangerous portions of the roads, especially on the Waiaro and the Kerikeri-Kaco routes, much of the danger attending Far Northern motoring would be obviated, the traveller considered,