SAFETY ON ROADS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1940, Page 8

SAFETY ON ROADS

CR0SS1NGS AT SCHOOLS "TEMPORARY" PROPOSAL Whether temporary instead of permanent pedestrian crossings outside schools should be allowed is a point discussed by the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. G. W. 1 Laurenson, in a circular to local ibodies and motor organisations. 1 They have been asked to express opinions on this and on the suggested modification of the regulation concerning visibility at pedestrian crossings. The Automobile Association (Taranaki) will consider the matters to-night. Pointing out that many authorised pedestrian crossings are solely or primarily for the protection of children on their way to or from school, Mr. Laureson comments that they are required only for a few hours a week and during the daytime only. Local authorities having raised the point, the Transport Department has prepared a modified form of crossing for temporary use. Two parallel lines across the roadway with one or two dividing lines midway would have no significance in the absence of portable signs to be placed in position by the school authorities at the appointed times. Decision With Authority. It is not suggested that temporary crossings should be installed wherever there is a school, it being permissible for a local authority to install a permanent crossing if it is deemed necessary. It is pointed out, however, that temporary crossings at schools should go a long way to meet difficulties regarding the cost of upkeep of the ordinary form of crossing and should obviate the need to provide visibility at night when the crossing is not required. Linked with the proposal to some extent is the school patrol system. As far as it has gone the system has already proved its worth, Mr. Laurenson says. The first patrols were established in the South Island seven or eight years ago and they are now coming into favour in the North Island. They take different f orms, however, and the question of legal liability in the event of an accident has lately exercised the minds of some teachers. To obtain uniformity the department now proposes that two members of a patrol should be on duty at one time, one on each footpath and each carrying a sign bearing the word "Stop." A suitable sign, as used at Vancouver and elsewhere, is a light wooden sign about six feet long with a disc at its head. When necessary this is held so that it projects about five feet into the roadway.

Duties of Patrols. Boys for the patrols would be selected by the teachers and, where desired, traffic staffs and others would help the j teachers to train them. The suggested duties of patrols are defined as follows: (1) To help to ensure that children cross the roadway in an orderly manner at the patrolled points; (2) when traffic conditions permit, to allow children to cross at the crossing in the ordinary way— as they would if no patrol were present; (3) when traffic is more or less continuous, to detain children on the footpath and display the signs mentioned. Upon the signs being so displayed traf- ( fic approaching from either direction would be required to stop and yield complete right-of-way to the pedestrians. When the traffic stopped the assembled children would be directed by the patrol to go across. They would be under the same protection as that given pedestrians at a crossing where traffic is controlled by a traffic inspector or by ' traffic lights. A legal opinion on the proposals makes it quite clear that in the event of an accident to a patrol or a child under the supervision of a patrol, liability will not attach to a teacher who takes proper care in the selection of the patrols. It is pointed out, however, that the possibility of an accident seems remote, especially under the present proposals. No Record of Accident. No record can he traced of any accident to existing patrols or any other child. On the contrary, it is generally agreed that the work Pf patrols helps to ensure the safety of pupils and in addition assists in the development among children of a sense of responsibility as road users. Discussing the pedestrian crossing and safety zone regulations, Mr. Laurenson says that a number of local authorities have emphasised the difficulty and, in I some cases, the impossibility of improving local lighting to enable crossing markings to be seen at night from the required distance of 100 feet. To meet the difficulty it is proposed that a minimum requirement shall be that a crossing should be so situated and indicated and, during the hours of darkness, so illuminated that under normal atmospheric conditions its presence and ! the presence of any pedestrian using the crossing would be readily apparent to the driver of an approaching motor vehicle from a distance of 100 feet. The presence of a pedestrian crossing will continue to be indicated by black and white posts and it is largely on the visibility of these posts that the proper indication of the crossing will depend. They will require to have sufficient illumination to be clearly seen from 100 feet. Subject to the approval of the Minister, controlling authorities may provide additional means of indication, such as reflectors set across the roadway.