WARNING TO MOTORISTS WHO DRIVE AT NIGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 21 May 1947, Page 2

WARNING TO MOTORISTS WHO DRIVE AT NIGHT

WELLINGTON, May 20. Traffic ^ accidents at night had again assumed serious proportions, stated the Minister of Transport, Mr. O'Brien, in announcing ^iis evening that he had given instructions that organised checks upon inotor veliicle lights were to be made on all densely trafficked highwavs. This organised drive on lights would begin on Monday. The Minister said that last month 17 deaths oecurred as the result of "in the dark ' ' accidents^and so far this. month eight further fatalities after nightfall had been reported. With the approach of winter tralfic peaks were occurring during the hours of darkness and it was essential that every available step should be taken to counter the mcreased hazard caused by lack of abilitv to see on the part of the driver of a motor vehicle. "Traffic officers, ' ' added the Minister, ' ' report wrongly adjusted head lights, lack of a tail light and failure on the part of drivers to- dip their lights when meeting other traffic, are contributing greatly to the difficulties and dangers of night driving at the present time. I would therefore urge all motorists to have an immediate check made of their lights to ensurt j that they meht the requirements for safety. " - - The Minister -said that where lights .were not corrnctly adjusted or where a driver failed to dip, Transport Department inspectors would ■ issue a traffic .offence notice and the departmeut would pfoseeute the offender. .* .