The Waikato Independent TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1927. DRUNKEN MOTORISTS.

Waikato Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 2814, 26 July 1927, Page 4

The Waikato Independent TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1927. DRUNKEN MOTORISTS.

“A drunken motorist is worse than a drunken man with a revolver,” said Chief Justice Russell, of Scotland, in a discussion that recently took place at a conference of the British Medical As sociation at Edinburgh. The-speaker added that, the revolver would go off only in one direction, but there was no knowing what a drunken motorist would do in a crowded street. Another speaker at the same conference-.said a drunken motorist was only, one degree less pujpablo.jban a drunken engincdriver—disaster was sure to follow. There can be no doubt whatever that drunkenness among motor drivers is exceedingly dangerous, and is pioductivc of a large percentage of the accidents that arc increasing so alarmingly in every civilised country. New Zealand is, probably, one of the most sober countries of the world, and yet, if we are to judge by the number that have been proved to have resulted from excessive drinking —and thes'e must be only a small proportion of those actually caused —liquor is directly or indirectly responsible for a great many of the worst motor accidents that are continually occurring. The delicate nerve balance, which gives poise, judgment and quickness of decision ,is quick to become disordered as a result of alcohol, hence many a man does not need to be really in a state of drunkenness to be quite unfit to have control of a motor car. It seems almost impossible to fix the exact stage at which a man or woman is unfit to drive a car. We have to make allowances for the extraordinary diversity in the human make-up. We arc told of an ingenious plan followed in some parts of America to ascertain if a person is actually drunk. When his breath is released into a chemical mixture it discloses the extent of his intoxication. It would seem, from certain cases that conic before the Courts from, time to time, that some such procedure would be very valuable in New Zealand, for it is extremely difficult to say at just what stage a person loses his or her power of judgment or mental balance. Even experts have a diversity of opinion in this respect. One thing is certain, however —that any person who is palpably under the influence of liquor should never be allowed to drive a car, and any person convicted of this, offence should be more severely dealt with than at present, if wo are to check the growing danger to the public. The police - and traffic, inspectors are doing their utmost to • cope with this, one of the most fruitful sources of serious accidents, and will doubtless have the staunchest support from the magistrates and local justices, in an effort to safeguard life and limb. It would appear necessary to impose heavier penalties than at present, and the mo3t salutary detering evil, and the most salutary deterrent will probably prove that of imprisonment iii all proved cases, Without the option of a fine.