CITY TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24733, 9 October 1941, Page 6

CITY TRAFFIC

DEPARTMENT'S POLICY EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN As part of a policy of educating the oublic in traffic control, the City Irafhc Department has prepared an interesting and educative map, which may be seen on the wall of the public office of the department. It is an "accident spot map" of the city area showing the location of every accident involving fatal, major or minor injury during the last 18 months. Later, it is intended to indicate collisions not involving personal injury. The department has tabulated the accidents with reference to the person held responsible for the accident. Where both parties to the accident were to blame, each was regarded as being at,fault. The final figures are interesting. Drivers of motor vehicles were responsible in 90 cases, pedestrians in 42 cases, and cyclists in 34 cases. Attention to Danger Areas In spite of the almost universal practice of blaming the other fellow, the person laying the blame is very frequently at fault himself to some degree. It is definitely each individual's obligation to save the other fellow from the consequences of even his own decidedly foolish acts. An outline was given an Otago Daily Times reporter yesterday of the department's policy in traffic control. The department, he was told, was most interested in major breaches which cause serious accidents. Officers would pay attention to those places where the most serious breaches and accidents occurred. The officers, it was stated, are always ready to meet the public half way. No city could possibly afford enough traffic officers continuously to enforce traffic laws on an unwilling public. No law can be successful unless a large majority of the people can be persuaded into obeying it of their own free will. Voluntary Observance of Laws Hence, the department's major problem in traffic regulation is to secure voluntary observance. Traffic officers would much rather be an aid and a guide to the users of tho streets than be forced to prosecute. After all, the regulations are made principally for the protection of the public. It is the aim of the department to educate all sections of the commuriitv to "play the game" like good sportsmen. To that end the department is arranging for short talks to be given to the staffs of the larger commerciiit and' industrial firms, to sports and social clubs, women's organisations, high, schools and colleges. The campaign of public education will be continued until every individual is educated and trained for modern traffic conditions.