Eliminating Traffic Accidents

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 11, 1 March 1953, Page 7

Eliminating Traffic Accidents

Expressing concern at the mounting number of deaths on the roads, Mr. M. Moohan (Opposition, petone) said in the House of Representatives last October that it did not appear that adequate steps were being taken to reduce the death rate. The number of persons killed and injured in traffic accidents was a drain on a small country like this. Referring to the number of intoxicated motorists, Mr. Osborne (Opposition, said ihe position was becoming alarming. He suggested that the penalty should be substantially increased. Every intoxicated motorist was a potential murderer. Sometimes fines were imposed for this offence and sometimes the offender was sent to prison. “I think Parliament has to find some way of increasing the minimum penalty to see if we cannot eliminate the practice of intoxicated persons getting behind the wheel,” he said. Mr. Freer (Opposition, Mt. Albert) said it appeared that too much attention was being paid to speeding, as against other dangerous driving practices. Mr. Freer outlined a system on which there had been experiments on the Continent, where penalty points were listed against a driver. When 15 points w’ere recorded, the driver’s license was automatically cancelled for three years. Fifteen points were immediately recorded for intoxication in charge. “What is to be done with the drunken driver?” asked Mr. Carr (Opposition, Timaru). “We have to get at causes rather than effects. We should start an education campaign, showing the dangers of driving when intoxicated and impressing on the people the perils associated with this risk.” The Minister of Transport, Mr. Goosman, stated that the Transport Department had done and was doing everything possible to reduce the accident rate. Legislation was being prepared to distinguish between the intoxicated driver of a car and a person who “gets into the back seat and does not attempt to drive.” That was the person who should be commended, said the Minister. Mr. J. Stewart (Opposition, Arch Hill), said that the Government should give the Transport Department stronger powers to deal with speeding, bad drivers and other offences. “Sweet reasonableness will not achieve anything,” he said. He believed that in the main intoxicated drivers sat in the back seats of their cars because they did not want to drive. Such were some of the comments made during the discussion on the vote on the Estimates for the Transport Department and it is noted with satisfaction that concern over the drinking driver is being awakened among members of Parliament. The drinking driver is the real menace on our roads and stern measures should be taken to keep him off them. Alcohol and Accidents are allies, for vision is blurred, judgment is impaired, and action is delayed, even though the drinker experiences greater The driver owe* it to the public to avoid alcohol when in charge of a car and for several hours before.