Bull-bar Ban Opposed
The Age
Tuesday October 19, 1993
Motor vehicle industry leaders yesterday opposed a Melbourne coroner's call for a blanket ban on bull bars on passenger and commercial vehicles, but agreed new restrictions were necessary.
The deputy state coroner, Mr Iain West, yesterday recommended the prohibition of bull bars after an inquest on Mr Ernest Bowd of Rosanna, who died when he was hit by a van in September last year in Lower Heidelberg Road.
Mr West said that although the primary reason for the fitting of bull bars seemed to be protecting vehicles' bodywork from minor damage in incidents like parking collisions the safety benefits to passengers were far outweighed by the risks posed to pedestrians.
The executive director of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, Mr Bob Davison, said a complete ban on bull bars would not be practical.
``It's all very well for the coroner to announce a blanket ban but in practical terms it won't work," he said.
``People in country areas and people driving off-road vehicles probably need them. People driving in city areas probably don't.
Therefore, we would support an investigation into the use of bullbars but not an overall ban."
While the RACV has been calling for new rules on bull bars for some time, it too said a total ban would not work.
© 1993 The Age
