"Slow down at sundown"

Road Safety Poster circa 1939 - 1959

Driving At Night

Six Safety Rules

Some of the worst motoring smashes occur late at night and during the early hours of the morning, when the roads seem to be almost deserted, and speed seems both safe and exhilarating.

Safety mainly lies in being able to pull up within the range of vision which circumstances permit. The trouble is that the driver's judgement, under conditions such as those mentioned is so often likely to be at fault on this point.

Here, however, are six fundamentals of safe night driving:-

(1) Keep headlights adequately powered and properly focussed.

(2) Watch for objects on the road revealed by headlights of cars approaching from the opposite direction.

(3) Watch the left-hand edge of the road, and avoid looking into other drivers' headlights.

(4) Slow down at sundown to compensate for lower visibility.

(5) Particularly when there is a curve or a hillcrest ahead, slow down enough to be able to stop in plenty of time to avoid any stationary or approaching object which may come into view.

(6) If you feel jaded or tired or have had a quantity of drink, which may affect your judgment, don't drive until you have recovered.

Description source:

The Courier-Mail, 19 December 1938

View the original image at the Queensland State Archives:

Digital Image ID 25229

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