THE MARQUESS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIRMy 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 (a) whether the very large and serious road accidents which recently took place in fog conditions would have been avoided if drivers had taken care to follow the advice and instructions in the Highway Code, particularly those on pages 8 and 27; and (b) whether it was not their intention to prepare a further booklet which would be an improvement on the present one.]
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, although full reports on the recent regrettable accidents are not yet available, it seems clear that they resulted from drivers travelling too fast in fog and that they would probably have been avoided if the advice in the Highway Code had been followed. In due course, it is the intention of my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport to publish a revised version of the Highway Code which will embody any necessary improvements. But it is doubtful whether there is much room for improvement to the basic advice on driving behaviour to which the Question refers. Sound advice about driving in fog is given in the Driving Manual which was recently published by the Ministry.
THE MARQUESS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIRMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for the explanation he has given. May I ask a supplementary question? Is it not the case that when the Highway Code was being discussed, under his chairmanship, he said, if I remember aright, that it was the intention to carry on and issue a further Code, but with greater preparation beforehand? And was that not supported by many of those who took part in the discussion?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I indicated that the Highway Code was being amplified, but, because of the public concern in this matter, which I think is entirely justified, additional advice about driving in fog was published in November. I think the noble Marquess will agree that it is very difficult to cure human folly. What is perhaps more important is that the Ministry of Transport is extending the system of specialised signs, more sophisticated signs, to replace the amber flashing lights on motorways, for which the first contracts have been placed, and which are similar to those on the M.4 on the way to London Airport.
THE MARQUESS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIRMy Lords, may I end by asking a further question? Will these signs be in such a form that the ordinary person can understand them if he does not happen to ride often on a motorway but rather in his own area where he lives?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, I should have thought that that was a most valuable point. When these new forms of fog warning are introduced, they should be publicised through all normal media so that the public understand what the signs mean.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether any of the people guilty of this folly were women?
§ LORD LEATHERLANDMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether it would not be even more useful to ask the Ministry of Technology to get in touch with the motor car industry to ascertain whether some electronic device can be perfected, especially having regard to the admirable burglar alarm devices which are now available and, of course, the ASDIC in the Navy?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, that is precisely what is happening. The Road Research Laboratory and the Ministry of Transport are working on these devices.