Surveillance on the roads - archive, 17 November 1938

17 November 1938 We may yet be driven to consider the fitting to vehicles of a device which would indicate when they are exceeding their permitted speeds

The Commons debate on road accidents yesterday produced the familiar crop of remedies, from the twenty-five-mile limit in built-up areas suggested by Mr. Watkins to the complete segregation of different sorts of traffic advocated by Mr. Macquisten.

Mr. Watkins is right in his claim that the present limits are constantly disregarded, and we may yet be driven to consider the fitting to vehicles of a device which would indicate when they are exceeding their permitted speeds. The provision of a regulator is impossible, since it would cripple cars in hill-climbing, but an illuminated indicator visible to patrols would be feasible and would undoubtedly have a highly chastening effect upon the reckless.