"Shameful Reflection on Civilization"
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THAT 5,000 people were killed and 200,000 injured on the roads each year was a shameful reflection upon modern civilization, declared Lord Latham, . chairman of the London Transport Executive, when he presided over the road-safety forum of the annual congress of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in London, last week.
Proposals that bicycles be licensed, insured and maintained in a road
• worthy condition by law, that a uniform system of highway lighting be laid down and that the Ministry of Transport should pay for trunk-road lighting were adopted.
Mr. L. Hammett, driving instructor of the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society, said that it was wrong that a person who passed the driving test on a batteryelectric vehicle should automatically qualify to drive internal-combustionengined machines.
A proposal advising that pedestrians be subject to legal responsibilities as road users failed.
Mr. Gurney Braithwaite, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, presided over the road-safety parliament. The Ministry received strong criticism from delegates for allegedly not supporting local roadsafety committees to the fullest possible extent.
Facts emerging from the discussion were that the Government was con"sidering legislation to make two rear lights compulsory, and that the Highway Code was to be redrafted.