ROAD ACCIDENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 4, 12 March 1947, Page 5

ROAD ACCIDENTS

FEBRUARY FATALITIES NINE PEOPLE LOSE LIVES “Nine people lost. their lives in road accidents during February,” said the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson) in a statement to the Press 4 “This compared with 14 killed on the, roads during February last year.” Two of those killed were motor cyclists and one was a pillion passenger. Two cyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles and two child pedestrians were killed, one after alighting from a school bus. When a car overturned on the main highway a passenger was killed, and the driver of a car was fatally injured in a collision with a stationary vehicle.

“Cyclists are again figuring prominently in road accident statistics,” continued the Commissioner, “and I have asked the department’s Traffic Inspectors to make a check upon bicycles to ensure that their equipment complies with the regulations. The requirements are an efficient rear brake, a red rear lamp or reflector, a white patch of at least 12 square inches in the rear, and also a bell. If the cycle is used at night a lamp showing a white light to the front must be fitted.

“Cyclists who ride bicycles with faulty equipment are taking their lives in their hands,” said Mr Laurenson, “and I would urge all who ride bicycles to make an immediate check and have their cycles equipped to these minimum safety standards.”