TRAFFIC SAFETY AND TACHOGRAPHS. SUITABILITY AND POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING A TACHOGRAPH IN THE FORM OF A SHORT JOURNEY - OR SHORT TIME RECORDER FOR VEHICLES WHICH ARE NOT REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE EQUIPPED WITH A TACHOGRAPH

THE ELEVENTH GERMAN TRAFFIC LAW CONFERENCE HAS SUGGESTED THAT NEW VEHICLES SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH A SHORT JOURNEY RECORDER WHICH WOULD RECORD SPEED AND BRAKING OVER THE LAST 600 METRES. AN EVALUATION WOULD ONLY BE MADE IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT OR WHEN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS ARE PENDING. SIMILAR CONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FOLLOWING RESEARCH BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY INSTITUTE. THE POSSIBILITIES OF INSTALLING A SHORT JOURNEY - OR SHORT TIME RECORDER FOR JUDICIAL, CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY PURPOSES WERE CONSIDERED. FURTHERMORE THE SUITABILITY OF SUCH EQUIPMENT IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF LEGAL TECHNICALITIES, PHYSIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND THE CLAIMS OF LEGAL NEEDS, TRAFFIC SUPERVISION AND THE LEGISLATION FOR SHORT JOURNEY OR SHORT TIME RECORDERS. THE CLAIMS FOR SUCH EQUIPMENT ARE BASED ON THE ACCURACY OF ITS EVIDENCE AND ITS EVALUATION, ITS RELIABILITY IN SERVICE, MAINTENANCE, SECURITY AGAINST FALSIFICATION, ECONOMY AND DETAILS OF OPERATION. THE TESTING OF CERTAIN EXISTING INSTRUMENTS IS DESCRIBED.