NOISELESS DRIVING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 June 1940, Page 9

NOISELESS DRIVING

RESTRICTING USE OF CAR

HORNS INTRODUCTION OF NEY/ REGULATION. ENFORCEMENT DURING NIGHT HOURS. (Contributed by the Govt. Transport Department.) The announcement of the forthcoming introduction of a new regulation restricting the use of motor car horns has created widespread interest among both motorists and pedestrians. Some persons consider it to be a valuable contribution to the cause of safety, some welcome it chiefly as promising relief from disturbing noise, and a few regard it. critically as removing one of their chief safeguards against accidents.

The proposed new measure states that, except in’ cases of emergency, horns must not be sounded in built-up areas between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. An emergency is defined as a situation in which another road user, by committing an offence against the traffic regulations, has brought about the risk of accident.

The real purpose of the regulation is to encourage motorists to drive by sight rather than by sound. Indiscriminate use of the horn endangers safety by encouraging many improper driving habits. Certain motorists, for instance, rush at intersections and rely on a loud blowing of the horn to warn other road users from their path. This type of offence is commonest among' taxi drivers. Such a practice, besides being unfair to other motorists who may have the right-of-way. involves obvious risks. The horn may not be heard or the direction of the sound confused with the result that a severe collision may occur. Actually there should seldom bo need to use the horn at intersections. The motorist should drive in such a manner as to be able to see if his way is clear and at such a speed as to be able to stop if it is not. Only in the event of another driver’s neglecting the right-hand rule and thus creating an emergency is the sounding of the horn justified. Although it is at intersections that the gravest and most frequent misuse of horns occurs, they are also often

improperly employed elsewhere. Tooting at offending pedestrians is probably the worst of these abuses. Such a practice is particularly danrgerous aS it may startle pedestrians and cause them to step in front of an oncoming vehicle. Even if the pedestrians are disobeying the rules of the road it is better, if possible, to avoid them by slowing down rather than to risk frightening them by sounding the horn.

Of course in the event of an emergency arising involving risk of collision the horn should be used to warn the pedestrians of their danger. To place too much reliance on the horn as a warning device is, however, always foolish.

The new regulation makes no stipulation regarding the use of the horn on the open road. It is the policy of the Department, however, to discourage the excessive and unnecessary use of the horn at all times. One occasion on which horns should be sounded on the open road is when a driver is about to overtake another vehicle. The other driver may be unaware of the approaching vehicle and. unless warned by the horn, may swingout unexpectedly into the path of the oncoming car. At night time it is a helpful practice to give an additional warning by dipping the lights for an instant before passing. In the United States this is an established sign for indicating intention to overtake. It should not. of course, be done if there are other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. The sounding of the horn before overtaking should not be indulged in during the daytime in built-up areas and during the hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is to be strictly forbidden. Owing to the density of traffic such a practice would be more likely to be confusing than helpful. Drivers in such localities should be sufficiently alert and be driving in such a manner and at such a speed as to make it unnecessary for them to be warned before being overtaken. Similar regulations to the one proposed for New Zealand are in force both in Great Britain and Tasmania. If the new measure is carried out willingly by all motorists the cause of road safety should be considerably benefited.