Quarterly Commentary
| Published date | 01 April 1947 |
| Date | 01 April 1947 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X4702000201 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
VOL.
xx,
No. 2
POLICE JOURNAL
APRIL-JUNE
1947
Quarterly Commentary
HIGHWAY
CODE
THE new issue of this valuable,
but
somewhat unusual, officialbook
replaces the issue of 1935.
The
twelve intervening years have
seen so many changes in our mode of life and travel
that
first impres-
sions on studying the
book-we
are asked to study it and not
put
it
aside after a
glance-bring
about a sense of disappointment at the
few and comparatively unimportant changes in its message. Careful
reflection will indicate
that
the 1935 Code was a very good effort and
the faults which lead all classes of road users into danger in 1947 are
fundamentally the same, whether we have progressed from being a
pedestrian to riding a cycle, from two wheels to four or from travelling
at a modest 30 m.p.h. to a speed more in keeping with present-day
hustle. All manner of road users need constant reminders
that
most
accidents arise through human faults, carelessness, thoughtlessness or
bad manners.
The
new code seems not to emphasise road manners
as forcibly as do
the
promoters of other road safety campaigns.
The
new paragraph 28, relating to motorists overtaking, omits the word
"inconvenience" which featured in the old paragraph 28.
It
re-
members section
II
of the R.T.A., dangerous driving,
but
forgets
section
12,
which is directed, amongst other things, against driving
without due consideration for others.
It
will be interesting to see
how the Courts receive
the
tables on the inside of the back cover
setting out stopping distances. Many police officers have despaired
of ever getting such data "
across"
to the Courts,
but
the facts have
now been given official recognition, and may, of course, be quoted in
legal arguments.
It
is not clear why
the
attention of the pedestrian
has not been directed to this most important item of road sense.
The
old code dealt with it adequately at paragraph 95;
but
perhaps the
compilers, too, have despaired.
The
Code has found a definite place in our road laws
and
as the
new issue obviously reflects the considered opinion of the represen-
tatives of
the
many different methods of travel it should be accepted
B81
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