PERILS OF THE HIGHWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19859, 1 February 1928, Page 12

PERILS OF THE HIGHWAY.

PASSING STANDING BUSES. PRACTICE OF OTHER DRIVERS DANGEROUS TO THE PUBLIC. RECENT NORTH SHORE FATALITY. Strong criticism of the practice of omnibus drivers on the North Shore of passing stationary buses, from which people were alighting, was passed by Mr. F. K. Hunt, coroner, at the inquest yesterday afternoon concerning the death of Freda Jean Mackie, aged 10, who died about 10 minutes after she was run over by a bus at Fraser Road, Devonport, on the afternoon of January 15. With her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F, S. Mackie, of Herriesville, Te Aroha, the child was spending a holiday with friends in Auckland. Eye-witnesses who gave evidence saidthat as the bus stopped at Fraser Road to allow Mr. and Mrs. Mackie and the girl to alight, the child jumped off and, running in front of tho vehicle, was struck by the mudguard of a Blue Bell bus which was passing, and travelling in the same direction. Although Eric Cleal, aged 22, of Devonport, the driver, applied his brakes and swerved, it was too late to prevent the roar wheel of the vehicle going over the girl. "It was really wonderful how the driver stopped," said Mrs. Eliza 0. Crawford, of Devonport, who witnessed the fatality. "The bus skidded and pulled up in about its own length." " Public Must Be Protected." Testimony given by Ivan R. Way, the driver of the vehicle from which the child alighted, was to the effect that there was about lift, between his bus and that of deal as Cleal went past him. Cleat's view would be obscured because of witness' bus. Tho Coroner: What's the good of there being lift, between you when the other driver cannot see what is in front of your bus ? Sergeant P. J. Brown, who represented the police: What speed do you travel when passing other buses that have stopped ? What precautions do you take ? Witness: We slow down and swing out. What speed do you drop to ? Do you slow down to 10 miles an hour?:—No, not that slow. I would say about 15 miles. Supposing you stop your bus to let passengers down, would you expect buses following behind to stop ?- —No. A bus coming from behind never stopis. It just slows up and passes. The Coroner: That is most dangerous. I must recommend that it bo ended. The public must be protected. Witness: Time after time we tell our passengers not to cross the road in front of the bus when they get off, but still they do it. Tho Coroner: Notices should be placed in prominent places in the buses telling the passengers of the danger. Approaching Local Authority.' Cleal, in evidence, said drivers usually slowed to 10 to miles an hour when passing stationery buses on the concrete. Tho Coroner: What is the use of passing at five miles an hour if your view is obscured ? Obviously drivers should not pass at . all. Drivers have no earthly reason to pass stationary vehicles at all, especially on tho concrete. In returning his verdict, the coroner found that deceased died as the result of injuries received through being run over by a motor-bus. "I will recommend that the accident be brought under the notice of the local authority and that its attention be drawn to the extremely dangerous practice of vehicles passing stationary buses while on the concrete " ' "I will write to the authorities myself," added the coroner, "The practice to my mind is not safe and is dangerous to the public."