XN000022-1985-06-02 — Page 7

SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1985

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THE PAPER STRESSES THAT THE COUNCIL WELCOMES THESE MEASURES AND HOPES THAT THIS SAFETY-ORIENTED POLICY WILL CONTINUE AND THAT LEGISLATION WILL EVENTUALLY REQUIRE THE WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN ALL VEHICLES.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN CASUALTIES OF THE PRIVATE CAR FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND DRIVER AFTER OCTOBER 1983, WHEN THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS CAME INTO EFFECT, IT SAYS.

+A COMPARISON OF CASUALTIES FOR 12 MONTHS BEFORE AND AFTER THE LAW IMPLEMENTATION SHOWED THAT THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES DECREASED FROM 3 800 TO 2 800, 1.E. A DROP OF 26 PER CENT.+

THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL WAS SET UP IN 1983 TO REPLACE THE STANDING CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY, CHANGING FROM BEING MAINLY A CO-ORDINATOR OF EXECUTIVE ACTION INTO A BODY WHICH ALSO DEVELOPS PROPOSALS TO PREVENT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND PROVIDES ADVICE ON POLICIES TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

APART FROM CO-ORDINATING THE WORK OF THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE COUNCIL BELIEVES THAT IT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN ROAD SAFETY WORK.

+THIS IS DONE THROUGH INVOLVING LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS IN THE ROAD SAFETY PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS WHICH THE COUNCIL APPROVES AND MONITORS EACH YEAR, AND BY SEEKING THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS IN PARTICULAR THE IR TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT SUB-COMMITTEES, ON LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PROBLEMS, THE PAPER SAYS.

THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL ALSO PLACES GREAT IMPORTANCE ON ENCOURAGING TEACHERS AND PARENTS TO CARRY OUT ROAD SAFETY INSTRUCTION,

+THIS ENCOURAGEMENT INCLUDES PROVIDING ROAD SAFETY LITERATURE AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL AND THE TRAINING AND EQUIPPING OF MORE SCHOOL ROAD SAFETY PATROLS, THE PAPER STATES.

IN KEEPING WITH ITS FIRMLY HELD VIEW THAT DRIVER TRAINING STANDARDS NEED TO BE IMPROVED, THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL LOOKS FORWARD TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFF-ROAD TRAINING FACILITY IN SHA TIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND WELCOMES THE INCLUSION OF TRAINING FOR MOTORCYCLISTS AND ARTICULATED VEHICLE DRIVERS.

THE COUNCIL IS ANXIOUS THAT FURTHER OFF-ROAD SCHOOLS BE PROVIDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE COUNCIL