Suggestion For Increase in Motoring Speed

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1948, Page 5

Suggestion For Increase in Motoring Speed

Press Association}

(Per

WELLINGTON, June. 39. The possibility of lifting fhe motor,ing speed limit from 40 miles an hou,f :to 50 miles, was Jiscussed; at a meetihg of the Nenr Zealand Road Safct\ Council. Several' members supporteuj such a change, it being stated, that many motorists. w-e-re already travelling at fhat speed and that the- time hue eome when the official limit should b.c raised. The council fhat morning sup ported the raising of the limit on buses from 35 miles to 40 mHes. The Commissioner of- Transport, Mr-, iLaurenson, replied tliat of 205, OOi cars on the road, 138,700 of them were 10i years old and over. Only 5800 eai> were five years old or under. ... The 4i inile-an-hour speed limit was imposeo in 1942. BefoTe that there vfas ua limit. Over tlie five years up to 1942 the number of road deaths for eacli 1,000,000 gallons of petrol used., avei; aged 2.89. For the five years foliqwing : 1942 they averaged 2.35 -for _ e-aeli 1,000,000 gallons. The Oommissione, said the reason for proposing the in crease in bus speeds, was that they were legally kept five miles an hour slower than" all other traffic and thai had disadvantages, • The council decided to seek more in formation and go into the question ai, its next meeting. The council suggeste-'i that increased information be supplied to the Transport Departxnent about accidents by supplementing report.s from the police about all jxceidents iuvolvi,ng death or injury, with reports from motor insurance companies o,i eaeh accident, where the total cost oi" damage exceeds £20. The information . sought 'would relate to the place, time and nature of the accident, but would not inclnde the name or any personal partieulars of the driver concerned. It was reported that preliminary inquirie.-. had been made ambng the companies and. it was decided to- seek their cooperation further.