SAFER ROADS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24419, 3 October 1940, Page 11

SAFER ROADS

WORK OF TRAFFIC INSPECTORS HELPING THE MOTORIST WIDE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED Keernpg pace with the ever-chang-ing conditions of modern motoring, inspectors of the Transport Department have advanced considerably in their 'qualifications and methods in recent years. In the earlier days of motoring it was a matter of catching some motorist committing an offence and carrying through a successful prosecution. To-day a traffic inspector does still prosecute in a number of cases, but far more often does he warn and correct a motorist. In the old days he was regarded as the motorist’s enemy; to-day his chief task is to be the motorist’s friend and teacher. In the carrying out of his new duties the inspector of to-day has to be a man with many qualifications, for his duties are many and varied. He has to be an expert car driver, he must possess a sound knowledge of traffic regulations and law. he has to know first aid. and he must be a mechanic. Besides these qualifications, he must have such qualities as patience, courtesty, ability to read character, and a full sense of justice and honour. Reducing Accidents One of the most important aspects of an inspector’s work is in reducing the number of road accidents, To enable the department to tell the most dangerous “ accident areas ” qn roads, a careful check of all accidents is kept and on special maps the danger zones are marked. The Lower Portobello road was one bad section a while ago, but the patrolling of this road by inspectors was intensified, with very beneficial results for the Harbour-side highway is no longer a serious danger area. Full details of accidents on various roads are kept, and often valuable assistance can be given the reading authorities in removing dangerous corners, curves and bridges. The value of patrolling is to be found in the fact that the more inspectors employed on roads the fewer the number of accidents that occur. While inspectors are always on the lookout for offenders against the traffic regulations in respect to driving, they spend a good deal of time m controlling heavy traffic 911 the roads. Heavily-laden motor lorries driven a hieh speeds do considerable damage to S roads Traffic inspectors not only keep a careful check on the speeds of these vehicles, but also on their laden weight. Twice the regulation speed causes four times as much damage to roads as the carnage of double «k weight allowed. Inspectors soon ieain to estimate the weight of a carried by a lorry and to check it quickly with the disc carried by the vehicle. If they consider that the weight is exceeded they stop the lorry and weigh it on the load-o-melers that they cany. They also keep an eve on ev enf vehicle to see that it carries its current heavv traffic licence. All this work is important, for roads are costly to build and to maintain. Varied Occupation Two of the most important problems confronting inspectors to-day are the intoxicated motorist and speeding. Both are extremely dangerous factors in road travel, and it is interesting to note that.'while the fines for intoxication are many times heavier than for speeding as much money has been collected in fines for speeding as for intoxication in charge of a car. But other offences against the traffic regulations are numerous and the inspector has always to be on the look-out lor them and for minor breaches of road courtesy. Motorists are not his only worries, for he keeps a watchful eye on cyclists and pedestrians, and those inspectors whose cars carry a microphone and amplifier often are able to give manv hints to road-users with little effort or waste of time on their part and with not a little shame and embarrassment for the offender. In many instances an inspector is also a ranger, and he sees to it that cattle and sheep are not allowed to wander on the roads to endanger the lives of motorists. Many a time he has to stop his car to drive stock off the road and then has to instruct the owner to repair his fences and stop slock from wandering. An inspector has frequently to take charge after a serious accident has occurred. He has to apply first aid to the injured until a doctor arrives, he has to make the road passable again for traffic, and, with the help of his camera and his tape, he has to keep a careful note of the circumstances of the accident. At other times, he may have to control traffic at some important function or give advice to motorists on how to save fuel in these days of restrictions. Sometimes he has to take a broom and sweep glass off the road or a shovel and clear away a snowdrift, A branch of an inspector’s work that often produces good results is the interviewing of motorists who have had a number of accidents. A quiet, informal chat is had with these men and often it is found possible to ascertain why they have accidents and to correct their faults. On one occasion recently, it was found that a motorist had had a number of accidents through not obeying the rule of giving way to traffic approaching from the right. He knew the rule nerfeclly. but when asked to hold up his right arm he raised his left. He had spent over 20 years in the world and thought his right hand was his left. Thus in many ways do faults have to be corrected and the roads made safer for users.