CARE ON THE ROAD

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1947, Page 4

CARE ON THE ROAD

. A.A. Films Impress School Pupils »v ' Cyclists were governecl by the same regulations as motorists and, like the motorists, would be made to adhere tp the law, said Patrol Officer E. Silverwood, of the Automobile Association • (Wellington) during a talk "to primary school children in Levin yesterday. Both the association and the traffic authorities were concerned at the "deplorable" manner in which cycles were ridden in Levin. "Be careful," he warned. "Use common sense at all times and you will pre«» ' vent accidents." * Many children thought that just because bicycles were light _ they could not hurt anyone, continued Mr. Silverwood. One elderly woman in Wellington had good reason to "• know otherwise. She had been knocked down on the footpath by a newspaper delivery boy. She was now in hospital with a broken hip, and was likely to be there for a very long time. He had often stood on the balcony of- liis hotel and watched with amazement the manoeuvres of cyclists, continued Mr. Silverwood, when emphasising the need for the use of correct signals and careful riding. One boy, after signifying his intehtion of turning into Queen Street from Oxford Street, had ridden on to the footpath and straight into a bicycle shop. All bicycles should be properly equipped with red reflectors, the regulation percentage of white pahit on the rear mudguard, properly adjusted brakes and a bell. There were plenty of red reflectors in Levin shops and bells were also obtaifiable. Both these items could be obtained for a total of 5s and many shops painted the mudguard as a service. Brakes were just as essential to the cyclist as they were to the motorists, and he asked the children to visualise ihe results if he put his foot on the front tyre of his car in order to *stop it. It seemed ridiculous, but no more so than in the case of a cyclist. , Commenting on safety rules generally, Mr. Silverwood stated that the Wellington Transport Office's flies revealed that 72 per cent. of pedestrian injuries during one period in that city were the result . of heedlessly walking off kerbings. After outlining the principal safety rules for pedestrians, Mr. Silverwood and Pa'rol Officer R. Keenan, of Levin, showed the children three films on road safety entitled "Safe Ways," "The Case of the Disappearing School" and "It Might Be You," the latter being for the senior pupils only. The first ' picture illustrated the correct way to cross a road, walk on a road when no footpath is supplied, and the dangers of playing near or on a roadway or railway track. The second film, filmed in Australia, tells how the annual road accidents in one State involved over • 1000 children, the equivalent of one comple' e "school roll. At*the present rate of road accidents one in every six persons could expect to become a casualty sooner or later, . said the narrator in the British film, "It Might Be You." Accidents were recorded on an average of 40 a day, with 20 in the mortuaries. "Everyone who uses the road shares the responsibility for the terrible toll of road accidents," he added. The film which is stated to be based on a real accident in which the accident and "casualties" are Cactually photographed is only shown to the senior pupils. In this picture the camera follows various individuals from their homes to the eventual scene of the accident in which one youth is killed and another seriously injured as the result of a general disregard of traffic rules. "Don't worry," a driver assures his wife, "I have been driving for 19 years and never had'an accident." A few minutes later a cyclist is lying on the road, the car against a post and the driver bending over the body of a young pedestrian. "No one was really to blame more than the other," an eye-witness tells a policeman. "If all had been more careful there would not have been an accident." Prior to the screening of the films the Mayor of Levin, Mr. H. B. Burdekin, addressed the children on the need for exercising care on the roads and assisting others. He . also thanked Patrol Officers E. Silverwood and R. Keenan for their address and the screening of the films, and the management of the Regent Theatre for the -use of the premises. The headmaster, Mr. H. F. McClune, also spoke. Also present was Dr. S. J. Thompson, who on behalf of the Automobile Association, presented members of the school road safety patrol with official badges, and congratulated hem on the good job they were domg, The district traffic inspecoor, Mr. M. Kehoe, was also present. _The following were presented with the badges: Masters Ray Harveyr Thomas Moir, Brian Thompson, . Peter Knox, David Gardner, Richard Routley, Tom Ireton, Major Boyce, Graham Terry and Maurice Small.