MAKING THE ROADS SAFER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 10

MAKING THE ROADS SAFER

After over two years' experience of its operation, a bill to amend the Road Traffic Act, 1930, has been introduced in the House of Commons. Its provisions, when they become available in detail, will be worthy of study as the British Transport Ministry's latest series of experiments to solve the grave and steadily growing problem of road casualties. For that the latest reforms are regarded as experimental was plainly stated by the Minister of Transport, Mr. Oliver Stanley, in a debate in the House, in which he indicated the lines on which his bill would proceed. A few days previously the Home Secretary had stated that in the last eight years 50,837 persons had been killed and 1,421,083 injured on British roads. In face of that appalling record Mr. Stanley wisely admitted that he possessed no single remedy. He was ready to try every kind of experiment in the hope of learning by experience. From the news by cable it is clear that the new legislation qualifies the freedom from fixed speed limits conferred in 1930 by imposing local limits, and also places some obligations on the pedestrian. The disciplining of both classes is in accordance with Mr. Stanley's opinion that the users of the roads cannot be divided into two separate sects, whose interests are always diverse and always clash. The pains and penalties, and the duties, cannot all be placed on the side of the motorist and go-as-you-please remain the privilege of the pedestrian. Even if that were to be the law's attitude, the terrible facts of the road would belie it. Hence some attempt is to be made to control the movements of the foot passenger. More details of these provisions will be required before their probable efficacy can be estimated. On the other hand, the freedom from speed limits enjoyed since 1930 by all motorists except heavy traffic is to be circumscribed. A general limit of 30 miles an hour in towns is substituted. That was to be expected, since the accident rate has risen under the free system, although in the last two years there has been less traffic on the roads. On the other hand, the Ministry was loth to go back to the dangerous confusion of varying local restrictions, and has adopted instead a uniform maximum in all towns. New tests for and stricter penalties on drivers are also provided. The result of these experiments should be instructive. At the same time the educative effect of campaigns conducted by such bodies as the National Safety First Association may in the long run do more than regulations and penalties by improving the road-consciousness of both motorist and pedestrian.