TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 18 December 1936, Page 3

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

COPY IN EVERY HOME AIM OF MINISTER MAKING ROAD SAFE (By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, 17lh December. The sending to every home in the Dominion of a copy of the new code of traffic regulations and the appending of a similar copy to every motor driver's license issued next year are innovations proposed by the Minister of Transport, Hon. R. Semple. “A Code is being prepared and I propose to send it to every home in New Zealand early in the New Year,” said Mr Semple in a statement here last evening. “In addition I hope to be able when licenses are issued again next year to attach —if it is possible—a copy of the regulations to every driver’s license.” In this way each driver will have with his license a copy of the rules of the road. If he violates them he will have no excuse and it will be of no use to plead ignorance.” Amplifying the published form of the regulation requiring certificates of fitness for vehicles, Mr Semple said that this would apply to all vehicles specified new or old. A new car might be as lacking in “road worthinass” as an older car. It had not been decided finally in what way effect should he given to this regulation. “We have been discussing with the Garage Proprietors’ Association the question of making it the testing authority,” said Mr Semple. “Testing has to be carried out by a responsible authority with a reputation in the community to ensure that the test is 100 per cent, effective. We are not going to accept tests from anyone at all.”

Mr Semple indicated that local authorities would not be called upon to test vehicles under the new regulations. “Local councils have undertaken this work in the past,” he said, “but we propose to make it national. The Minister stated his intention of starting an intensive campaign of education for road safety. “We are going to start a vigorous campaign of education through schools, picture shows and every possible avenue, to make our highways and byways 100 per cent, safe for people,” he said. “We are still maintaining a pretty high percentage of reduction in the number of accidents. The number has not been reduced as much as I could wish, but we have certainly saved a lot of lives in the last five months.”