Motor Notes. SAFETY ON BENDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 227, 24 September 1940, Page 12

Motor Notes. SAFETY ON BENDS.

EFFECTS OF SPEED. A.A.'S LATEST MESSAGE. "Far too many motorists indulge in die very dangerous practice of failing to keep as close as practicable to the left when negotiating a bend or corner. Such a practice cannot be too roundly condemned," says the latest road safety message of the Automobile Association (Auckland). "On a corner or bend where visibility i« restricted there is the ever present danger of collision with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction and many accidents have been caused through the risk taken in this action, particularly if both drivers have the bad habit of straddling the centre line. "This type of accident usually has very eerious consequences because the driver who faile to keep to the left of the centre ami as near as practicable to the left side of the road is invariably driving at an excessive sjK>ed. Regulation 14 (clause 2) provides 'That every driver of a motor vehicle shall at ail times keep the vehicle as far as practicable to his left of any longitudinal line or lines on the roadway marked at corners, bends or turnings by local authorities for the direction of traffic' Such centre lines should not be overdriven by motorists. On many bends or corners where centre lines have not been provided and the visibility is restricted for any considerable distance ahead the driver should reduce his speed eo that he will have no trouble in bringing his vehicle to a stop or in avoiding any oncoming vehicle whose driver may be careless. There is always the additional possibility of eome obstacle being on the roadway in one's path round a bend. Tt may be a pedestrian, wandering cattle, a halted car or a flock of sheep. "Moreover, if a driver does not keep strictly to the left and does not regulate .his speed to meet the circumstances it may be found that the road surface «iay contribute, readily to side-slip, a skid, and eventual loss of control. Many natural forces beyond the ability of drivers to counteract come into play when a. vehicle is driven fast round a bend. Considerable stresses are placed on tyres, wheels, steering, and motor vehicle bodiee. "Wise motorists make cure that always they are masters of the situation by driving at a safe speed and in the correct position on the road to avoid any trouble which may be coming towards them."