ACCIDENT RATE FOR MOTOR-CYCLISTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 13

ACCIDENT RATE FOR MOTOR-CYCLISTS

Safety Proposals Discussed

WELLINGTON MEETING’S RECOMMENDATIONS Road safety proposals affecting motor-cyclists were discussed at a conference in the Wellington Town Hall last night between Mr. A. F. T. Chorlton, representing the Transport Department, and officials of motor-cycling (flubs and associations, dealers, municipal traffic officers and others interested. It was decided to recommend that L plates be instituted for both motor-ear and motbr-cyele learner-drivers, and that for motor-cyclists the period of use be three months. A further recommendation was that there should be no pillion riding during the learning period. Mr. Chorlton said the department felt that something had to be done about the present situation. Wellington had the worst relative motor-cycle accident rate of any centre in the Dominion. The general feeling of lochl bodies was hostile to the motorcyclist. The meeting recommended that motor-cyclists should be represented on the Road Safety Council. One speaker said it seemed that motor-cyclists were getting a raw deal from the council. During general discussion, the contention was made that there were more irresponsible motorists than motorcyclists on the roads. Proposals Formulated. Mr. Chorlton has discussed the questions involved at similar conferences in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Wanganui aud New Plymouth, and the proposals formulated as a result are to be submitted to the Road Safety Council at its meeting on March 30. The consensus of motor-cycling opinion revealed by reports of the conferences iu other parts of the Dominion favours the following proposals:— 1. Pillion riding speed limit —40 miles an hour.

2. L plates and L licences to be carried by learners for six months, during which no pillion riding will be permitted, and a 40 miles an hour limit will be observed.

3. Uniform test throughout New Zealand at the end of six months.

4. L plate or other distinctive plate to 'be carried for three months by all convicted of serious motor-cycling offences, speed limit of 40 miles an hour, and pillion riding restriction to apply during this period. 5. When licence of rider is suspended by the Court, number plates of cycle to be surrendered to the Court.

6. Parents or guardians to give consent before transfer of ownership to boys under 19. 7. Stricter enforcement of present regulations in built-up areas.

8. Power to be given to refuse warrants of fitness of motor-cycles when canvas of tyres is showing. 9. Regulations for more effective silencing of machines. This may be done by making it au offence for unauthorized persons to interfere with silencers passed us efficient; 10. Road safety educational work to be increased.

Figures quoted by the Transport Department at the conferences indicate that motor-cyclists are involved in onethird as many casualty accidents as motor-car drivers, though there are more than 10 times as many motorears as motor-cycles on the road. This high casualty rate is not necessarily due to motor-cyclists as a general body taking much less care than ear drivers. The statistics show that other road users were responsible for almost as many motor-cycle accidents as were the motor-cyclists themselves.