TOLL OF MOTORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22612, 28 December 1936, Page 8

TOLL OF MOTORS

"HIGHWAY MADNESS"

WARNING BY MINISTER TIGHTENING OF THE LAW [by telegraph—own correspondent] WELLINGTON, Sunday "These tragedies prove beyond all doubt that we have not yet gone far enough," said the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, to-day, in commenting on the Christmas holiday motor accidents. "I am deteimined during the next session of Parliament farther to tighten up the law, particularly that section of it relating to driving tests. Large numbers of people now on the road are unfitted to drive. The great majority of accidents are due either to carelessness or incompetence. I am de- j termined to remedy this state of affairs." The Minister mentioned two Christmas accidents which came directly under his personal notice. "One collision at night involved two cars each showing a single headlight only, the second light being apparently out of order," he said. "One of the cars was in such condition that it should never have been on the road. Ihe other accident was due entirely to the fatigue of one of the drivers concerned, who had been working long hours. Combatting Carelessness "This sort of thing has to be stopped," Mr. Semple said. "The lawabiding New Zealander who drives a mechanically-efficient car and obeys the laws of the highway to the best of his ability, showing due consideration for his fellow motorists, has every right to receive protection from carelessness, recklessness and inefficiency a;id, as Minister of Transport, I am going to give it to him "The Department of Transport is not yet in a position fully to enforce the laws," he continued. "Recently we appointed two additional highwavs inspectors, but this is not sufficient. I have a bill drafted which will come before the House next session. It will bring directly under my department the transport responsibility of all towns and boroughs with populations of under 6000, that is, all except metropolitan areas." Maintaining Inspectors Part-time traffic inspectors would, under the bill, disappear, the Minister added. Fines and licence fees in such areas, amounting to about £30,000 a year, would form the nucleus of a fund to maintain a body of inspectors to patrol the roads efficiently and enforce the laws.

That so many accidents had already occurred during the holidays, in spite of the new legislation, the efforts of the Road Safety Council, local bodies, automobile associations and those of the Minister himself and his departmental officials, Mr. Semple said, was alarming.

"The increased number of cars now on the road, the greater number of them containing women and children, calls for grpater vigilance than at ordinary times, and I am determined to do my best to stop this highway madness," he concluded.

_ FEW FLAGRANT BREACHES CONDUCT GENERALLY BETTER The conduct of motorist:; on the open roads of the north and as far down as the National Park and Gisborne has boon definitely'better this year than in previous seasons, according to Mr. R. E. Champtaloup, touring manager of the Automobile Association (Auckland). There has been less indiscriminate speeding, more care on corners, and in general bettor road manners. " The most flagrant brearhes of cor-ner-cutting," said Mr. Champtaloup. "have been on roads leading; from comparatively quiet and isolated districts and approaching the larger centres of population. Apparently there are still a few drivers who are prepared wantonly to expose themselves and others to danger by negligent driving, but according to tlie reports from association patrols generally these are very happily in the minority. One traffic officer said he was having no difficulty in separating the one or two dangerous drivers from the hundreds who were endeavouring to observe the principles of safety. " Accidents have occurred, but in the majority of cases it is held that the eauso has been the condition of the road. Loose metal piled in ridges or spread deeply is a very serious menace to the driver from the south, where the smooth tar-sealed surfaces prevail. Lack of familiarity with local conditions has also been a cause. However, there havo been far fewer of the minor typo of accidents, such as scraped mudguards, and after fast speeds 011 Christmas Eve motorists have settled down to moderate ones."