XN000022-1985-07-30 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1985

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(D) TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON ANY OF THE MATTERS REFERRED

TO IN (A), (B) AND (C).

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LBAC IS MR W.C.L. BROWN.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

PRESS AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA MEMBERS WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES BUILDING, EAST WING, AT THE END OF THE MEETING TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AND INTERVIEW MÀ BROWN.

YOU ARE REQUESTED TO ASSEMBLE AT THE LOBBY OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, MAIN WING, AT 3.30 PM.

GIS OFFICERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST.

C

BASIC OFF-STREET TRAINING FOR MOTORCYCLISTS PROPOSED

*****

THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TODAY (TUESDAY) ENDORSED A RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE LEARNER MOTORCYCLISTS TO UNDERGO BASIC OFF-STREET TRAINING BEFORE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RIDE ON THE ROAD.

THIS MEASURE IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY RECORD OF MOTORCYCLISTS WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE WORST OF ALL CLASSES OF DRIVERS. LAST YEAR, THE ACCIDENT RATE OF MOTORCYCLES_PER MILLION KILOMETRES WAS ABOUT THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT OF PRIVATE CARS.

OF THOSE MOTORCYCLISTS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, 78 PER CENT WERE KILLED OR INJURED COMPARED TO 25 PER CENT FOR CAR DRIVERS.

SINCE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR INSTRUCTORS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE ON-ROAD SUPERVISION, ANY PERSON AGED 18 YEARS OR OVER COULD HIRE OR BUY A MOTORCYCLE AND RIDE IT ON A ROAD WITHOUT TRAINING OR SUPERVISION ONCE THEY HAD OBTAINED A PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE.

UNDER THE PROPOSAL STUDIED BY THE TAC TODAY, LEARNER MOTORCYCLISTS WOULD BE TESTED ON BASIC HANDLING SKILLS AT AN OFF-STREET TRAINING CENTRE AND TESTED AGAIN ON-ROAD BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEY COULD OBTAIN A FULL LICENCE.

THE ISSUE OF PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCES WOULD DEPEND ON THE PRODUCTION OF A CERTIFICATE CONFIRMING THAT THE APPLICANT HAD PASSED A TEST AT AN OFF-STREET TRAINING CENTRE.

/TAC MEMBERS