EFFICIENT DRIVERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23057, 7 December 1936, Page 6

EFFICIENT DRIVERS

ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS APPROVED BY MOTOR UNION A proposal that schools should be established for the training of motor drivers was approved at the quarterly meeting of the South Island Motor Union held at Queenstown. The suggestion was put forward by the Automobile Association of Otago, on whose behalf Mr W. F. Sutton moved: " That each association give material assistance in the inauguration of driving schools." Mr Sutton said that before a man could fly an aeroplane or drive a traction engine he had to pass an examination. It was time that measures were taken to ensure that motorists, too, were proficient. Mr F. W. Johnston (Canterbury) expressed the opinion that the Otago proposal was a good one. The present examination of drivers for licensing purposes was of a perfunctory nature, and 95 per cent, of those who passed might well go-back to a driving school and learn to drive. Asked for an explanation of the proposal, Mr Sutton said that all of the delegates were aware that many drivers were not fully qualified. Most of the trouble was due to the younger drivers, who had no idea of speed and were a menace to everybody. The idea was that drivers should be trained in schools and should not receive licences until they had shown that they were proficient. In America, children were trained in the schools in the essentials of driving. Surely the New Zealand associations could do something on similar lines. The Otago Association suggested that the scheme might be started in a small way. He was sure that it would be supported by the insurance companies. Mr J. S. Hawkes, a member of the National Safety Council, said that this body had already discussed the question. It was considered that most of the trouble arose in the country districts. The tests in the cities were more severe, and the same difficulty did not arise. The Minister of Transport (Mr R. Semple) intended to introduce legislation which would, to some extent, meet the wishes of the Otago Association. He would put a number of qualified traffic officers on the roads, and the examination of drivers would be made by Government officials instead of by local bodies. The motion was carried.