MOTOR DRIVING TESTS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 237, 17 May 1928, Page 7

MOTOR DRIVING TESTS.

Commenting on the ltew motor regulations at a recent meeting of the Patea County Council, the chairman (Mr. Jas. Gibbs) expressed his views on driving tests and careless driving, says the Hawera Star. In Mr. Gibbs’ opinion the prevalence of motor accidents and fatalities was due more to old-time fully qualified (but nevertheless reckless drivers) than the newly-fledged drivers who just manage to scrape through a halfhearted driving test. The eyesight of many of the old drivers, too, was none too good. Driving tests, he thought, had little bearing on road

accidents, the majority of young _ drivers being open to continuous im- I provement in the handling of cars. ! The real danger lay in the vast num- ) her of old, qualified drivers who care- ] lessly juggled with their cars and un- [ lawfully enforced their claim to more \ than half the width of every road they travelled over. The speaker advocated the appointment of a few inspectors (say four) vested with the authority of the police, and w T ith , power to operate all over New Zealand. Local inspectors were usually hampered with other duties, and could not be expected to devote the time necessary for the detection of reckless driving, whereas the specially appointed officers could not only concentrate their energies on careless, negligent driving, but could also be depended upon to bob up in the most unexpected places. j