MOTOR SPEEDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 24 July 1934, Page 8

MOTOR SPEEDS.

Proposed Alterations to Regulations.

SAFETY OF THE ROADS. (“ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. July 24. The attitude of the Transport Department. and the policy it proposes to advocate in r. spect to the speed of motor vehicles, have been defined by the Commissioner in a circular letter covering proposals for amendments to the present law. At present there are no specific speed limits laid down in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924. but Section 36 (n) empowers the Governor-General-in-Ccuncil bv regulation to fix, for the better preservation of the roads and streets or for the safety of the public, the maximum speed of motor vehicles. Regulations are now in force undci this latter provision fixing a speed limit of forty miles per hour over nondustless roads and setting forth a table of lesser speeds the exceeding of which throws the onus on the driver to prove that he was not driving to the common danger. In addition to the Government regulations, there are numerous—probably hundreds—-of local bodv bv-laws fixing speed limits from ten miles per hour upwards. Different Problems. The department is of opinion that the problem in respect of rural roads is entirely different from that arising in boroughs and townships. It is satisfied that the principal factor that has to be seriously considered at the present time in connection with motorcar speeds (excluding heavy traffic) on dustless rural reads is safety, and that there is not the same necessity for a regulation to specifically provide 'or this factor on rural roads in addition to Sections 27 and 28 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924, as exists in boroughs and townships. The position in boroughs and townships is, however, quite different. Motor transport has now become so countrywide in its extent that drivers cannot be expected to have an inti mate knowledge of the potential danger existing in every borough and township. This state of affairs has been recognised up to the present and is reflected in the large number of by laws in existence. What is Proposed. The department considers that discipline is highly essential in order to secure a measure of safety and that a national policy on the question of speeds could be laid down somewhat along the following lines:— (a) Dustless rural roads: Driving to the common danger. (b) Boroughs and Townships: Statutory speed limit cf thirty miles per hour. (c) Power to make regulations or - by-laws, with Minister’s prior consent, to meet exceptional circumstances. In most cases prescribed signposts would be .essential. Trailers. A general speed limit cf thirty miles per hour is proposed for motor-cars drawing trailers. This would follow somewhat the practice in Great Bn tain, where the statutory speed limit for motor-cars drawing two-wheeled trailers is thirty miles per hour, and four-wheeled trailers twenty miles per hour. A good deal of careful study has been given to this question in view of the increasing number of trailers m use, and there is a general acceptance of the view that regulation of some kind is necessary. Under the existing conditions, it is not necessary for trailers to have independent brakes if under two tons in weight, but as amending regulations will make :t necessary for motor vehicles drawing trailers to fulfil the stopping ability requirements as laid down for motor vehicles without trailers, the tendency will be to have brakes installed on all trailers.