N.Z.-WIDE CHECK-UP ON MOTOR HEADLIGHTS STARTS NEXT WEEK

Grey River Argus, 8 April 1948, Page 5

N.Z.-WIDE CHECK-UP ON MOTOR HEADLIGHTS STARTS NEXT WEEK

P.A. • • WELLINGTON, April 7. Beginning on Monday, a Dominionwide drive will be held by the Transport Department to check motor vehicle headlights for faulty focussing, incorrect adjustment, and failure to dip. „ The Minister of Transport, Hon. F. Hackett, said this evening that last year there were 77 accidents , involving personal injury, in which dazzling headlights were a contr.butory cause of the accident. Twentyone ' motorists, dazzled by oncoming headlights, collided with push cyclists. Sixteen collided with other motor vehicles. Sixteen ran off the roadway, or went over the bank. Nine collided with pedestrians. Al of these accidents might have been avoided had the headlights been correctly adjusted. , ~ . He said that the traffic and vehicle inspection staff of the Department had been instructed to carry out these checks, and to issue traffic offence notices to all. offenders. There should be no excuse whatever for having faulty headlights on motor vehicles. Badly adjusted headlights caused an unnecessary traffic hazard, and witn the approach of winter, every hftort must be made to eliminate these dangers. “Another all-too-common nuisance on our reads is the motorist wno does not dip his lights for approaching traffic”, said the Minister. £' a , , ure to dip is a discourteous and lazy habit, and no mercy will be shown to anyone in this category”. . The Minister urged all motons<s to have an immediate check of then’ lights. Good headlights, he said, made for easier driving, and motorists would be helping themselves, as web as others on the road by having their headlights properly set.