Reckless Thursday Driving

Southland Times, Issue 23794, 17 April 1939, Page 6

Reckless Thursday Driving

Reference to reckless motor drivers during the Easter holiday period was made at Thursday night’s meeting of the Automobile Association (Otago) by Mr A. E. Ansell (chairman of the Safety First Committee), who said that driving over the holidays had not been a credit to motorists generally. Most drivers realized their responsibilities, but there were some who still, in spite of repeated warnings, regarded the road as their own particular playground, to be used ar they thought fit. A member who had been driving for 30 years had summed the matter up when he said he had not seen more concentrated recklessness in three or four days than he had encountered during Easter. What they were going to do about it he did not know. Penalties would have to be increased foi the benefit of the minority. There were only two ways of dealing with the problem—education or enforcement —and he was inclined to favour enforcement. But no matter how discouraging the mortality or accident figures might be, those working in the interests of road safety could not afford to relax their efforts in any way. The chairman (Mr P. W. Breen) said that 95 per cent, of accidents were avoidable, and he considered that the only effective check was by increasing the number of traffic inspectors and exercising a more rigid control of speed.