REFLECTORS FOR CARS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 476, 4 October 1928, Page 13

REFLECTORS FOR CARS

REGULATIONS EXPLAINED PREVENTION OF COLLISIONS (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON. To-day. Reasons of safety are advanced by the Public Works Department for the adoption of the red reflectors upon motor-vehicles in answer to the criticism of the South Island Motor Union and the announcement that that body contemplates waiting upon the Minister of Public Works Police and local body experience has shown that there are some motorists who persist in taking the roads without tail-lights, says the department, and it is to remove this risk that the regulations were framed. Furthermore, about 75 per cent, of the cars which • >, trike trouble and have to be towed home develop engine-faults. W’hile the engine is not working there can be no i*ear-light. The efficiency of the reflector is proven by the fact that in •' ew South Wales they are recognised by the authorities a sufficient substitute for rear-lights in the case of motor-cycles. In England, also, the reflector has official approval in place of tail-lights for agricultural vehicles. No motorist can say that his tail-light is not liable to fail. The ordinary electricight bulb frequently fails, and a tailnght is merely an electric bulb. The strongest evidence in favour of the regulations, however, is that since they were drafted, six months ago, two collisions have occurred with fatal results to the occupants of unlighted cars. in both cases a stationary car was struck by a passing vehicle, the driver of which failed to see the car. The department contends that it is a assumption that if these motors had been fitted with reflectors the loss 01 life would have been avoided. In any case the Wellington City J-ouncil is taking no risks. Having been forced to pay damages of a collision with an unlighted milk-lorry, the council is fitting red reflectors not only t 0 all its milk-vehicles, but to tram-cars as welL