Road Traffic Act 1930

The Road Traffic Act 1930 (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. 43) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the Minister of Transport Herbert Morrison.

Context
The last major legislation on road traffic was the Motor Car Act 1903. Amendments had been discussed in 1905, 1911, 1913 and 1914 as the Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment Bill and Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment (No 2) Bill. Since 1926 in which there were 4,886 fatalities in some 124,000 crashes a detailed set of national statistics (now known as Road Casualties Great Britain) had been collected. It was not until 1929 that a new Road Traffic Bill was discussed in detail following a Royal Commission report on Transport, "The control of traffic on roads," which was adopted almost in its entirety. During a parliamentary debate on making speedometers compulsory in 1932 it was suggested that speed limits for cars were removed by this Act because "the existing speed limit was so universally disobeyed that its maintenance brought the law into contempt" rather that for considerations of safety.

Clauses
The Act repealed the Locomotives Act 1865, the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 and the Motor Car Act 1903 and introduced many new regulations which controversially included the removal of all speed limits on UK roads for motor cars.

Relating to motor cars

 * Abolition of all speed limits for cars
 * Introduction of driving offences of dangerous, reckless and careless driving and driving whilst being unfit and under the influence of drink or drugs
 * Compulsory third-party insurance
 * The first UK driving tests for disabled drivers only
 * Classification of motor vehicles
 * Construction, weight and equipment of motor vehicles
 * Issue of Highway Code

For public service vehicles

 * Central regulation of UK coach services
 * Introduction of a 30-mile an hour speed limit for buses and coaches.
 * Issue of public service vehicles
 * Rules regarding the conduct of drivers, conductors and passengers on public service vehicles.
 * Limitation of hours of continuous driving

It was amended in 1988 and at other times.

Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930
The Road Traffic Act 1930 was strengthened by the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 1930.

Legacy
Many clauses introduced by the Act have been retained. Regulations relating to insurance, licensing and driving offences have continued to evolve since that date.