Traffic Act 1955 (ACT)

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY.

No. 2 of 1955.

AT̂ ORDINANCE

I To amend the Traffic Ordinance 1937-1944.

E it ordained by the Governor-General in and over the
Commonwealth of Australia, with the advice of the Federal
Executive Council, in pursuance of the powers conferred by the

Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910-1947, as follows:—

1. — (1.) This Ordinance may be cited as the Traffic Ordinance short title „ *' and citation.

1955.*

(2.) The Traffic Ordinance 1937-1944 is in this Ordinance

referred to as the Principal Ordinance.

(3.) The Principal Ordinance, as amended by this Ordinance,

may be cited as the Traffic Ordinance 1937-1955.

2. Section four of the Principal Ordinance is amended by Definitions,

inserting after the definition of " officer " the following definition:—

" ' pedestrian crossing' means a portion of the carriageway

of a public street indicated—

(a) by two white lines painted across the carriageway so that no point on one line is less than eight feet or more than sixteen feet from the nearest point on the other line; and

(b) by markings painted within the limits of the

lines referred to in the last preceding paragraph

* in a pattern of alternate black and white
stripes;".

] 676/54.—PRICE 3D.

3. Section twenty-five of the Principal Ordinance is repealed

and the following section inserted in its stead:—

" 25.— (1.) A person driving a vehicle, bicycle or animal upon a General rules

Ti • i ii of the road.

• public street shall—

(a) subject to this section, keep the vehicle, bicycle or animal as near as practicable to the footpath on his left side;

(&) when meeting another vehicle (including a motor vehicle) or bicycle or a horse, pass with it on his right side;

* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on 17th March, 1955.

(c) subject to the next succeeding paragraph, when over- taking another vehicle (including a motor vehicle) or bicycle or a horse, pass with it on his left side, and refrain from crossing over to the left side of the public street until his vehicle, bicycle or animal is clear of the vehicle, bicycle or horse which he has passed;

(d) when overtaking another vehicle (including a motor vehicle) or bicycle, or a horse, which is making, or appears to be about to make, a right hand turn, pass with it on his right side;

(e) before stopping, bring his vehicle, bicycle or animal close to the footpath on his left side and parallel to that footpath;

(/) when he is about to stop his vehicle, bicycle or animal or reduce speed suddenly (whether for the purpose of stopping or otherwise), and, if practicable, at least one hundred feet from the point at which he intends to stop or reduce speed, give a clear signal of his intention to do so by raising his right hand with the palm turned to the front and with his fingers extended and pointing upwards in such a manner that his hand would be clearly visible to the driver of a vehicle or motor vehicle immediately following his vehicle, bicycle or animal, and continue to give that signal until his vehicle, bicycle or animal has stopped or ceased to reduce speed;

{g) when he is about to cause his vehicle, bicycle or animal to turn or diverge towards his right (otherwise than by reason only of following the course of the public street upon which he is driving), and, if practicable, at least one hundred feet from the point at which he intends to cause it to turn or diverge, give a clear	signal of his intention to do so by extending his right	arm and hand with the palm turned to the front and
holding them rigid in a horizontal position straight out on the offside of his vehicle, bicycle or animal, and continue to give that signal for as long as is necessary to give other users of the road a clear indication of his intention ;

(h) when he is about to drive his vehicle, bicycle or animal out from a stationary position at or near the kerb, for such time immediately before his vehicle, bicycle or animal is put in motion as is sufficient to give adequate warning of his intention to other users of the road, give and continue a signal in a manner specified in the last preceding paragraph and refrain from driving his vehicle, bicycle or animal out until he may do so with safety to other users of the road;

(i) upon the horn or alarm of an overtaking vehicle or motor vehicle being sounded, unless he has given a signal indicating that he is about to cause his vehicle, bicycle or animal to turn or diverge towards his right or drive his vehicle, bicycle or animal out from a stationary position at or near the kerb—

(i) if his vehicle, bicycle or animal is in a position where it is likely to obstruct the progress of the overtaking vehicle or motor vehicle and if the movement can be made with safety, forth- with cause his vehicle, bicycle, or animal to move to his left so as to allow the overtaking vehicle or motor vehicle a reasonable space in which to pass; and

(ii) refrain from turning or diverging to his right or increasing the speed of his vehicle, bicycle or animal before the overtaking vehicle or motor vehicle has had a reasonable oppor- tunity to pass and draw clear of his vehicle, bicycle or animal;

{)) when he is about to turn his vehicle, bicycle or animal to his right from one public street into another at an intersection or junction—

(i) except where the street he is about to leave is a one-way traffic street, drive his vehicle, bicycle or animal so that when it reaches the intersection or junction it will be as near as practicable to, but will be on his left of, the middle line of the carriageway of that street; or

(ii) where the street he is about to leave is a one-way
traffic street, drive his vehicle, bicycle or

animal so that when it reaches the inter-

section or junction it will be as near as

practicable to the side of the carriageway of
that street on his right hand side;

(k) after entering an intersection or junction of one public street with another for the purpose of turning his vehicle, bicycle or animal to his right from one of those streets into the other—

(i) drive his vehicle, bicycle or animal parallel with the side of the carriageway which he is "leaving that is on his left hand side until it is as near as practicable to the far side of the carriageway he is entering; and

(ii) if there is a traffic dome at or near the inter- section or junction, drive his vehicle, bicycle or animal so as to keep the traffic dome on his right hand side;

(I) when he is approaching the junction or intersection of

tha t street and another public street, if—

(i) another vehicle ( including a motor vehicle), bicycle or animal is approaching the same junction or intersection from his r igh t ;

( i i) the traffic at the junct ion or intersection is not

being controlled by a member of the Police

Force ; and

(iii) the circumstances are such that there is a reasonable possibility that his vehicle, bicycle or animal and the other vehicle, bicycle or animal might arrive at the same point simul- taneously or that a dangerous situation might otherwise be created,

either decrease the speed of his vehicle, bicycle or animal to such an extent, or stop his vehicle, bicycle or animal for such time, as is necessary to avoid that

possibility or s i tuat ion;

(TO) in the case of a person driving a bicycle, whenever necessary, give to a person walking, driving or r iding upon a public street sufficient warning of the approach of the bicycle by using the bell or other efficient appliance for giving warning of his approach;

(•n) exercise due care, by slowing down or, if necessary, by stopping the vehicle, bicycle or animal, not to splash mud upon a person—

(i) in or upon or entering or leaving a stationary

vehicle (including a motor vehicle) ; or

(ii) wyaiting at the stopping place of a motor

omnibus;

(o) when requested or signalled by a person leading, driving, r iding or in charge of a restive animal to stop, stop	his vehicle, bicycle or animal as near as practicable	to the footpath and parallel thereto, and remain
stationary as long as is reasonably necessary;

(p) when approaching a pedestrian crossing, drive his
vehicle, bicycle or animal at such a speed as to be
able to stop it before reaching the pedestrian crossing;
(q) when approaching or travelling upon a pedestrian
crossing, if a pedestrian is walking upon the pedes-
t r ian crossing so that if both continued on their
courses at the respective speeds at which they nr?
moving there would be a possibility of a collision,
reduce the speed of or stop his vehicle, bicycle or

animal so as to allow the pedestrian to pass in front

of i t ; and

(r) comply with a direction given by an officer in the execution of his duty or by a member of the Police Force—

(i) as to the manner of approaching or departing

from a place;

(ii) as to the manner of picking up or setting down

passengers or loading or unloading goods; or

(iii) for the regulation of traffic.

" (2.) In a prosecution in respect of a contravention of para- graph (a) of the last preceding sub-section, it is a defence if the defendant proves—

(a) that the vehicle, bicycle or animal was being driven at

a rate faster than six miles an hour; and

(b) that the distance at which the vehicle, bicycle or animal was kept from the footpath on his left side was not more than was reasonable.

" (3.) For the purposes of the application of sub-section (1.) of this section in relation to a public street consisting of two one-way traffic carriageways separated by a strip of land—

(a) each of those carriageways shall be deemed to be a

one-way traffic public street;

(b) where another public street intersects both of those carriageways, that other public street shall be deemed to form a separate intersection with each carriage- way; and

(c) where another public street intersects one of those carriageways but does not extend beyond the other carriageway, that other public street shall be deemed to form an intersection with the first-mentioned carriageway and a junction with the other carriageway.".

4. Section twenty-six of the Principal Ordinance is repealed.	Right-of-way
at intersections.

5. Section thirty of the Principal Ordinance is amended by Lights on bicycles.

omitting from paragraph (6) the word " o r " (twice occurring)

and inserting in its stead the word " and ".

Dated this tentli day of March, 1955.

W. J. SLIM
Governor-General.

By His Excellency's Command,

WALTER J. COOPER

for and on behalf of the Minister of State

for the Interior.

Printed for the GOVERNMENT of the COMMONWEALTH by A. J. ARTHUR

at the Government Printing Office, Canberra.

1670/5^.-2