HL Deb 16 July 1968 vol 295 cc179-80
LORD SEGAL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to lessen the danger caused to motorists and other road users by dazzle from the headlamps of motor cars.]

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport hopes to make an announcement about this before the Recess. Motorists themselves can help by getting the aim of their headlamps checked and by dipping their headlamps when meeting or overtaking another vehicle.

LORD SEGAL

Yes, my Lords. While thanking my noble friend for that reply, so far as it goes, can he explain why, after seventy years of motoring progress in this country, no efficient means have yet been evolved for preventing a motorist from blinding other motorists with his headlights or preventing other motorists from blinding him with theirs?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, it is unfortunate that we have not been able to find the answer to this problem. Of course, the Road Research Laboratory has conducted extensive experiments, in particular experiments with anti-dazzle screens on the M.1. The peculiar thing is that these screens did not show any significant saving in accidents; in fact, the accident rate was higher when the anti-dazzle screens were used than where they were not installed. We believe that we must spend the money available for road safety on measures which we know will give us a return in terms of lives saved and accidents prevented.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that if a motorist adheres carefully to the Highway Code he is perpetually occupied in dipping and beaming his headlights instead of concentrating all his attention on the road?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, I am afraid that that is one of the facts of driving.