Praise and criticism for Highway Code proposals
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['HE GREEN PAPER conaining the proposed new -lighway Code (CM' Jan 31) vhich was circulated to nterested parties for :omment, has evoked Ilmost equal measures of :riticism and praise from Mr N. E. Teer, secretary of the Nssociation of Industrial Zoad Safety Officers, chief !xaminer of the League of iafe Drivers and national ;lerk of the course of CM _DoY.
He believes that the nclusion of hints on first aid s controversial material on he grounds that many authorities consider that damage could be done by unqualified first aiders. He thinks that the proposed new rule 43, which urges other' road users to give way to buses moving off from the kerb, is a source of potential resentment; and on the recommendations for joining and leaving motorways he suggests that emphasis should be laid on the need for extra care when moving off from the hard shoulder after a breakdown.
Mr Teer believes that the recommendation to light van and car drivers to keep out of the nearside lane in motorway fog is "a sensible piece of advice". When discussing the Code with CM he pointed out that the "hooking" method of turning right at junctions – offside to offside — was largely ignored in some parts of the country and he suggested that the new Code should contain a standard procedure to be firmly recommended throughout the country. "Only where the junction is staggered, or extremely long vehicles make it impracticable, should vehicles cross near side to nearside" he said AIR SO has already decided to make a recommendation in these terms to the Minister.
Last week the DoE published a list of traffic and safety measures supplementary to the draft Code. The items included in the list are dangerous goods symbols: what to do at the scene of an accident; speed of vehicles when joining or leaving a motorway; underuse of the left-hand lane on motorways; revised speed limits; use of tinted visors, sun glasses etc.