R oad Safety By H. L. Millward, A.M.I.M:ch.E., A.M.Inst.T.
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As Influenced by Vehicle Design
An Important Current Topic Considered from the Point of View of a Vehicle Maintenance Engineer
IN this article I do not propose to make any attempt to deal with' the safety first" problem from any other aspect than that of the motor engineer. However, it will also be realized that the field, which can be covered by the man who is re ponsible for the maintenance of motor vehicles, is so large that it is better to concentrate on the one aspect than jue t to touch the fringe of all the other points which can help to _prevent road accidents.
The driver's point Jet vie W is a very real one and, as the driver is invariably looked upon with suspicion, in the event of a road accident in which a motor vehicle is concerned, I feel it is only right that we should consider seriously his angle of the problem.
Let us take the learner-driver first. We must all realize that, during the training p, nod of any y rson, certain risks have to be taken, especially if the learner be taken straight on to the load, as is the case at the present time. In my opinion, this procedure is wrong.
I would suggest that the question of training drivers should be a national responsibility and thateproper driving schools Should be set up in all large towns. They should be staffed by a competent set of instructors, selected by the Ministry of Transport, the duty of which should be to prepare these learners for their arduous duties on the roads. and see that they reach an advanced stage of efficiency before they are allowed to drive a heavy vehicle on the public highway.
Although this scheme may, at first, sound to be ambitious, it would not be so difficult to put into operati .n as it may appear. We have identical arrangements for the training of our airmen, and it would be-quite easy to establish a Motor-vehicle driving school on similar lines. A static motor vehicle, so mounted that gear changing could be taught, and 'equipped so that films depicting roads, crossings, intersecting roads, bridges and various obstacles, could be shown, and in which the road always appeared to be meeting the driver, 'would, in my opinion, give a wonder ful opportunity to the instructor to observe the 'learner's reactions to the various crises which are likely to be met during the length of the journey represented by the film.
Combining Maintenance with Road Sense
In the same instruction school the learner could be taught not only road sense and hand signals, but elementary mechanics, such as brake adjustments, cleaning of sparking plugs, changing lamp bulbs, fitting fuses, and the necessity of checking tyre pressures and carrying out tyre examinations. These all have a distinct bearing on freedom from accidents, and possession of such knowledge would, in many cases, save delays in sending mechanics out to do minor repairs which could be dealt with by the driver.
The learner, after having satisfied his instructor on these points, should the'n be taken to a private track. It need not be large, but should be arranged in such a manner that he would be able, not only to get the " feel" of the vehicle, but to pass various obstacles, overtake other traffic, deal with pre-arranged emergencies, etc., until the instructor was satisfied that he was fit to be taken out on to the public highway to finish his courseof training.
With regard to the actual driving test, this should conform to a standard laid down by the Ministry of Transport, and the examiner should be instructed to adhere to the test as laid down, and not be allowed to use his own interpretation of it, as so many were prone to do prior to the war. I would suggest that the examiner should also be attached to the training-school staff. I am sure that if these members of the staff worked in conjunction with each other, a much better learner-driver would be turned out.
The next point which should, I think, be considered seriously, is the construction of the vehicle that the learner may be called upon to drive. This, naturally, is a job fore the vehicle designer and manufacturer and close co-operation between the vehicle maker and the operator should be aimed at. The man best able to judge is he who has to drive the vehicle, and any driver who does not feel sure and comfortable in his machine is a distinct menace on the road and a danger to all other road users.
Such features as visibility, seating, accessibility of gear levers, hand-brake levers, pedals, switches, etc., can make all the difference to the safe handling of the vehicle. Too much thought cannot be given to construction and design, especially bearing in mind the weights and' types of load now carried.
The windscreen should always be as large as possible. and the corner pillars of the cab should be kept to an absolute minimum in size, so that a clear, unobstructed view can be obtained. The windscreen should be fitted with a good wiper, fixed in' such a position that, when working, as much of the screen as possible is kept clear. In this direction', I feel that an air-conditioning plant would be a great help, so that, irrespective of weather conditions, the screen could be kept free from moisture.
Less Fatigue Means Greater Safety
The driver's seat should be considered next, and this should always be adjustable, both for height and tilt, so that the tall man could be as comfortable as the short one. Again, one must realize that the more comfortable the driving seat the less fatiguing is the job of the :driver, and the safer his handling of the vehicle. The pedals also require consideration. In my opinion, these should be so arranged that it would become almost impossible for a driver to step on the wrong one. By this I mean that the accelerator pedalshould always be on the off side of the brake pedal, and as far away from it as possible. This is definitely a point which should be laid down in the " Construction and Use Regulations " and should be rigidly adhered to.
The hand-brake lever should, I suggest, always be positioned on the off side of the driver and, for preference, be of the " push-on" type With this type of brake lever the driver can react very quickly in the event of having to make an emergency application, and he can put much more strength behind the lever than is possible with either
the " pull-on " or " pistol-grip " types. This, again, gives him confidence.
Have only the bare necessities as regards switches, etc., and take great care to see that lighting switches are situated in such a position as to be within easy reach of the driver. They should be arranged so that he has not to take his eyes off the road in order to find them, On considering direction indicators one is bound to come to the conclusion that, whilst they are most useful, they leave a lot to be desired. When it is realized that the majority of heavy goods vehicles is loaded to a maximum width, which is often anything up to 2 ft. more than the width of the cab, it will be appreciated that such indicators on the cab sides are of little use, so far as following traffic is concerned.
It is often impossible, when travelling behind a large vehicle, to see its signalling arms, and I would suggest that a similar signal, arranged at the rear of the vehicle and wired to the same switch, should be made compulsory. For preference, it should come immediately above the rear number plate. It would be a great help both to rind users and to the police, and would undoubtedly prevent quite a number of accidents, especially at road junctions.
With regard to other points in the design and construction of motor vehicles, ilsems such as accessibility of brake adjustment, ease of battery inspection, the protection of wiring, etc., 'should all be considered seriously, as should the power and position of head lamps.
In the interests of safe driving during the hours of darkness, one would suggest that if all vehicles carried lights of the same intensity, together with a spotlight mounted lOw down and adjusted to throw a good beam of light forward and slightly to the near side (it should be hooded so that the beam is kept below the normal eye level), much of the danger of glare would be overcome. No driver would then feel to be at a disadvantage, and would be able, whilst maintaining a reasonable 'speed, to meet all approaching traffic with confidence.
The only other point I would make, as -regards vehicle design and construction, is that, to my mind, the forwardcontrol or overtyPe vehicle is much to be preferred to the bonneted type, as here, once more, the driver has a much better and clearer view of the road ahead. He has no blind area immediately in front of the radiator, as is always bound to be the case with the normal bonneted type.
Let us now consider the question of road signs, street names and even signboards of business premises. What can be more confusing, or disturbing, to the motor driver who happens to be on a road, or entering a town, which is strange to him? At present, one never knows quite where to look for these signs, names or itemises. If they be of a standard size and fixed at a standard height from _ the ground level, so that a motor driver's head lights would easily pick them out, what a difference it would make and • how Much easier and safer it would be for everyone concerned. . Again, there is the spacing and height of street lights.
There appears to be nothing uniform at the present time, and one would suggest that if the ordinary street lamps be more evenly spaced and placed lower down, the patches of darkness which, now exist, and which are definitely danger • spats, would disappear. The Toad question is, of course, a very live one. Whilst we must appreciate the fact that a lot of the streets in both towns and villages were probably wide enough for the old type of vehicle traffic, to-day they are quite inadequate and, so far as possible, should be made into one-way streets, -at any rate, until the time comes when they can be widened and made safe for the fast-moving traffic of modern times.