The Road Toll

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 10

The Road Toll

Sir, —I have been a very interested reader of the letters on this subject. I feel that Varian Wilson comes closest to “the truth” when he states that “the mental attitude of the person behind the wheel” is the greatest factor to be contended with. We have thousands of careful, considerate drivers on our roads but they simply accentuate the vast difference in approach to driving by the residue. The road hogs think they are the only ones using our roads. Ways and means must be found to cancel out this dangerous cancer. Right-thinking drivers must be prepared to help in that direction, in their own personal interests. They only need a lead.—Yours, etc., TOM BRYCE. January 13, 1966. Sir, —May I revive a road safety idea put forward by the late Colonel T. E. Lawrence shortly before his tragic death 30 years ago. He believed the relative safety of the motor-car made drivers selfish and careless. To a friend he wrote: “Only on a motor-cycle is the driver compelled to take a fair proportion of risk. It is quite right he should be killed himself if he is careless. Car drivers often escape more lightly than they deserve.” To even the odds, Lawrence warned all cars fitted with a reversed spearhead immediately in front of the driver’s chest. Then any motorist who hit something or had to stop suddenly would suffer the obvious fate. Today, if all cars had such a device the situation would parallel that where ail nations possessed the nuclear deterrent. Great restraint would be needed by everyone and the price of stupidity or selfishness would be automatic suicide—Yours, NAYLOR HILLARY. January 12, 1966.

Sir, —Little mention has been made of the testing of drivers in this correspondence. Much of the road toll must be due to bad drivingThe skill of the New Zealand motorist is undoubtedly inferior when it comes to correct vehicle positioning, clear signals, lane discipline and parking—it mqst be admitted though, that actual car handling is quite good. It is skill at driving, coupled with good discipline based on thorough learning and stringent testing that makes good drivers. The question is, who’s to do the testing? The Traffic Department officers have enough to do already. A separate body of examiners should be employed, as in England, whose full-time duties are testing and rejecting any driver who is not completely equipped to drive a car and gain proper road experience.—Yours, etc., D.F.D. January 13, 1966.