Clitlieroe 'Advertiser and Times. Friday, December S. 1967.


MOTOR SAFETY & EFFICIENCY


STOP ACCIDENTS BY FACING UP TO THE STARK TRUTH


Accidents o A N be .


Treat motorways with the respect they deserve


THERE IS no doubt that motorways-lielp to cut the accident rate because they relieve frustra­ tion, and are safe roads on which to travel at higher speeds. But they must be treated with


By l'rincc Philip. Duke o f Edinburgh. President of RoSP-A.


“ STOP ACCIDENTS.” It may seem common­ place but so are serious accidents. They happen every lew minutes, Hundreds of times every lay, thousands of times ;very week and about 150,000 times every ’ear.


itopped. Of course some accidents will always mppen but this is no •xeu.se for shrugging oft lie whole terrible problem


■espect. For example, wind can be dangerous if you do


not take care on a motorway. A small deflection at high ipeed could move a vehicle a considerable distance


• ' • v r*--4 S L > * *;Vi. *


uid accepting each year s igures as normal and nevitable. Very, very few •.ould be genuinely des- lescribed as Acts o f God; he rest’ are caused by •eople. It follows therc- •ore. that it is we, as ndividuals, who must stop a using accidents. No one


the people involved (with very few exceptions! could have helped themselves. h Tills is how most accidents


.lust because wc live in a highly mechanised socieij:


caused by the habitually reckless, the criminally negli­ gent. the tearaways and die drunkards, but far. far more happen because ordinary sensible people and the quiet chap next door take the odd risk now and then, or do


appen. Some are certainly


- c-L-ideiit.s ” is just another -» l uous exhortation — rather


ise can do it for us. You may think that “Stop


mil himself together — but mist accidents are so dread- Y,llv simple. So many ol tic in could have been pre-


!ke telling a psychotic to


-o learn a. few simple safety ♦ulc.s.


'ented if someone liad been i bit more careful or con- ■iderate or taken the trouble


Md risk It might not bo .si bad;if


: -SJL


Tile driver of this Jaguar approached a sharp turn at speed, missed his gear change, braked on the wet road . . . . with this result!


believe that they could not possibly happen to us or our families. “ Therefore," says our troubled mind, “ acci­ dents are nothing to do with us. It is other people that


I think we all like to


s om e t h i n g which they immediately recognise was stupid or careless.


never done anything which could have ended in disaster for someone, even if it was only for yourself.


Don’t tell me tha t you have


Not to us Perhaps you will now agree


hem or to save themselves. On the roads, for instance, •housands of people are hurt


minv of them involve others 1


•evident was tlie only one to uner. Unfortunately. so


lie person who caused the io can do nothing to avoid £ A - s i " » r s ...........


out looking where they are "■oing or warning anyone else of their intentions. These accidents are not inevitable


’ sen use they drift or dart lhout — whether .as drivers. •Tcicr-S or pedestrians—NVitli-


that the s lo ga n "atop Accidents” , is not so meaning­ less after all. It is only the title for the biggest campaign ever launched by Tile Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, not a campaign in itself, but it does bring us all back to basic essentials. It is commonplace but so are accidents. Unfortunately, the acci­


have them, other people that cause them, and other people that must do something about


this dangerously comforting illusion right up to the final crunch, I don’t know, but thousands, perhaps millions, of us do it all the time. It is. in fact. The Royal Society lor the Prevention of -Acci ­ dents’ mast intractable prob­ lem. Many of our roads could


stopping them.’ How anyone can maintain


be made a. great deal safer but even the best roads can never be proof against bad driving. Every sizeable town must


; r v -


other vehicles must be designed to be as safe as human ingenuity can. devise.


Safe approach Advertisers can play a most


important part by emphasis­ ing the safety aspect of the products they advertise and bv a. “ safe" rather than a “ reckless ” approach in their advertisements. Many people have worked


The onlv way in which to .tvoid this catastrophe is ;o keep your speed down in a high wind, and be on guard for any tendency fur the vehicle to drift, especially near bridges or mdden exposed stretches. In rain, dirt and spray


i cross the carriageway.


Uuown up by overtaking vehicles and by vehicles


which vou are overtaking, can easily obscure your vision through the windscreen, even " i f you have screen- washers (which are essential in anv car on any road). The


A sleepy driver is a menace


simple answer is to bring vour speed right down, and keep a sharp iook-out for trouble. Remember that no road in bad weather is os sale as it is in perfect con­


for safety for many years and I hope they will draw new strength and vigour from Stop Accidents Year,"


which marks the end of the first fifty years of voluntary effort in accident prevention It is however, far more


mate weather hazard on fast roads. Slow right down. Take no notice of other drivers who may THINK Ihev can see well enough to do ’60 m.p.h. in fog. Keen clear of them or you may be involved in the results of their folly.


ditions. Fog is probably the ulti­


Here are a few tins which mar help you to avoid


, . ,


important to remember that the campaign also marks the beginning of the next fifty rears. In spite of all this work the accident problem is growing and the movement, which "is led by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, has a very tough


•and so that every aspect of new developments is checked


have a Road Safety Officer— preferably full time, so that black spots can be removed


dent figures show quite clearlv that at all levels of our society and in all activities there is an almost pathetic confidence that acci­ dents won’t happen. It is so easy to dodge the issue and wriggle out of this individual, personal responsibility.


authorities must seek new ways to improve safety edu­ cation in their areas, particu­ larly of children. Manufac­ turers must think even harder about safety at the drawing- board stage. Cars and all


for safety. Local and educational


this ultimate personal and individual responsibility, for stopping accidents but we must, unless we are prepared lo accept an ever-mounting


future to face. Wc may not. like oearmg


trouble on the motorway:— 1. Make sure that both you and your car are really fit for the road. ’Hie slightest mechanical fault can be. ;i killer when you are driving at speed for long periods. And if you are tired, hungry, unwell or in any way “below par." the motorway is certainly no place for you. 2. Check your tyre pres­ sures. Unless you plan to drive slowly, inflate tyres a few pounds above the normal recommended pressures. . ■


a gigantic attempt to get everv one of us to face up -o the facts. After all. it is a. matter of life and death— for you and me and every other man, woman and child in Britain.


toll of tragedies. “ Stop Accidents Year ’ is


TIREDNESS and driving do not mix An obvious fact-? Certainlv. But too many accidents still happen be­ cause fatigue has blurreci someone's judgment or con­ centration. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat that any­ one who drives or rides when tired is a menace to himscll and everv other road-user. How can you avoid tired­


ness. especially on a long journey either by car or motor cycle ? The best thing to do as soon as you begin to feel tired, is to stop and have a rest, and a breath of fresh


air. COFFliE


a good idea, but, the most important remedy is t o .have a break from the strain o. motoring. The few minutes it costs may save you months ill hospital—or your


A quick cup of coffee is also


life. ff tiredness overtakes you


when vou are driving on a motonvav or somewhere else


where vou cannot stop im­ mediately, open the windows and turn off the heater. The rush ol' fresh air will help vott to keep alert until you reach a good place at which to stop.


1 Check vour car’s electrics —not just the lights but the indicators and brakelights as well. It is criminal to use a motorway (or any other road > i(. say. one brakelight is


broken. 4 Ensure that you have ulentv of petrol and oil and


that the fail-belt is in gooa condition.


situation, but if you are on your own. don't, rely on a cat-


Passengers can help m tins .


radio to do the same, job because it may have the


opposite effect. Whatever you do to stave


rest however short. Take that break !


off fatigue while you are still in the car. don’t forget that there is no substitute for a


Rl


BAN Cil


e:


CAR A BLACi PU»


s m m


65 VICTORIA Open doily 9 - 13 DAISY STF .Open doily 9


w si-:.vi


H


How do you say you


Clit Britain’s


best petrol and oil? and here ere some factss


(1) Only Shell Petrol has the mileage ingredient—the specially blended component that packs more energy into the petrol. All grades of Shell have the mileage ingredient!


(2) The octane ratings of all grades of Shell petrol are higher than the « standard minimum!


(3) Super Shell 101 octane is the highest quality petrol in Britain!


(4) It took nature 100,000,000 years to make oil—even then Shell decided it wasn't ready for your car. Shell scientists came up with certain additives that help the 'cold start/ minimise deposits and, the biggest bonus of all, reduce your engine wear!


bolI K 1


“Come in and collect the friendly service that goes along with Good-Mileage Shell says your Shell Dealer


SUPERCi Kemata! many ei| finished! release pleasant] 1 00% breaking pillar fit for con □ SUPE mended dealers.


Safe motoring with Good-Mileage


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16