THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1948 CARELESS DRIVERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1948 CARELESS DRIVERS

The suggestion by the Hastings Borough Council’s chief traffic inspector that there is a need for some form of punishment other than fines in traffic accidents, particularly those which are caused by careless driving, is one which is deserving of general attention. Accident rates, which decreased during the. war owing to the restrictions on motor traffic, have gradually been rising again, but whereas in pre-war years a lively spirit of public concern had been fostered which had some effect in reminding drivers of their responsibilities, there has not yet been an effective lead - given to a new “ safety first ” campaign. . The inspector’s impression is that the penalties imposed by the law are not sufficient. The process is an almost automatic one—infringement, prosecution and fine—and in these days the fine of a few shillings, or of a few pounds, is not a powerful deterrent to the offender. The suggestion is not that the penalty should be increased or that imprisonment should be more frequently imposed, but that a punishment should be devised which will impress the careless driver with the fact that he has committed a crime against the public safety, that his behaviour is anti-social.

The argument is a good one, and evidence in support of it is given by the inspector’s statement that on making personal inquiries among motorists who had been prosecuted he found that they were not inconvenienced by the fines, but they did dislike the publicity. In certain classes of offences the deterrent effect of publicity is given some recognition in law, but it must be remarked that in the routine reporting of motoring offences the publicity given is not great. Something more direct is required. This idea has been experimented with in several American States, and with some success. For example, a careless driver might be ordered to visit the morgue and to see for himself the consequences of an accident. In another case, a motorist who ,had knocked down a child was compelled to go to a school during school hours, and to write publicly on the blackboard an expression of his regret. Whether or not the authorities in New Zealand would be prepared to countenance similar action, it should be possible to devise some appropriate measures, the thought of which would weigh upon the minds of motorists who are selfishly prepared to ignore the rights of other users of the roads.