Move To Make Roads Safer At Night

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1948, Page 6

Move To Make Roads Safer At Night

The Transport "Department attaches flrst importance to safe lighting for night safely, so fair warning is given ugain that there are to be more drives against glaring headlamps. Automobile Associations are being asked to assist in malcing the roads safer at night by carrying out headlamp tests for motor ists, whether they are association members or not. In March when the Road Safety Oouncil was reconstituted after a lapso over the war and petrol shortage years, lighting was placed high among the subjects for discussion and investigation. The council has now made severaJ recommendations which have been passed on to the Minister by the Commissioner of Transport. Oue is that dipping could be simpli fled and impiwed. At present there are three oflicially»-'Tiecoguised fjystems, and a fourtli system used'on some English cars and trucks. The council likes this unofficial but' effeetive system; it has two dipped auxiliaries besides the headlamps for nonnal driving. The proposal is that the regulations should be rewfitten to reduce the alternatives to two; that is, that either both headlamps should dip, or that when there is need to dip -.the driving li^hts should be replaced by the pefmdnently ' dipped auxiliaries. "1 ■ u ' It is recognised tliat ' "beiore such a change could be made fliotor vehicie importers must be consulted as to tht practicability of equipping new vehicies (after a date to be ftxed) with one Or other of these lighting systems. High placed white clearance lights, visible for 300 feet, are proposed where vehicie or load is more than 7ft wide, and the council thiriks that a white reversing light would( make for road safety, provided that it is automati'cally shown in reverse gear only and cannot be displayed wliile the headlamps are on. The blue light is the recognised warn-

ing of a trailer'or of an overall lengtli of more than 20 feet, and should the council considers, be insisted upon. Otherwise it should never be used, for it gives a false warning, and a driver who swings in behind a blue light — thinking it a taxi light — can meet with troublo with the trailer which is genuinely signalled. Taxis, the council suggestfl, should have their own distinguishing sign. It may be news to many motorists, but speedometers are not at present regulation requirements. The Safety Council thinks they should be insisted upon, and has proposed Janua:fy 1 as the deadline for their iucorporation in new vehicies and all existing trucks and buses. The council also considered that a sun visor should be an essential titting of every motor vehicie and has proposed •Tanuarv 1 as the date when all vehicies should be so equipped.