MOTORISTS COMMENDED FOR GOOD DRIVING

Chronicle (Levin), 4 January 1947, Page 7

MOTORISTS COMMENDED FOR GOOD DRIVING

-♦ -Press Association

Bv Telegravh-

WELLINGTON, Jau. 3. - "In spite of the heavy volume of holiday traffic on the roads over Christmas, road deaths in December were fewer than for any month in 1946 ex-' cept September,' ' said Mr. G. L. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport, in a statement to the Press. "Eleven deaths were reported as against 22 in December, 1938, 32 in 1939, 21 in 1940 and the average toll of 13 in that month during the subsequeiit war years when motoring was drastically curtailed by petrol restrictions. " Of the 11 killed in December, flve were pedestrians, two were push cyelists afld two were drivers of cars. Of the remaining tw:o, one wras a pas- ■ senger in a car which collided with a telegraph pole and the other was a child riding a tricyelg which was struck by a car. f ■ This brings traflic deaths for 1946 to a total of 186, of which 81 were occupants of motor vehicles, 55 were pedestrians, 22 motor cyclists or pillion pas sengers, and 23 cyclists. In 1938 there were 254 killed,. in 1939 there were 251, in 1940 a further 204, and in subsequent ■years the annual total of road deaths averaged 151. Although traffic had been greater during the last half of the year, owing to the lifting of petrol restrictions, it was noteworthy that there were fewer fatalities than for the first half of the year, there being 86 deaths from Julv to December- as against 100 up to the end of June. "Traffic inspectors throughout both the North and South Islands, " said Mr. Laurenson, ' ' have reported that driving generally has been extraordinarily good during the reeent period of congested road traffic. The roads, in consequence, have been relatively free from accidents. However, since the New Year, oue fatality and several serious accidents have already occurred. . There is the need for all who use the roads, whether driver, cyclist or pedes--triau, to continue to exercise that same care which has marked the recent Christmas-New Year week. "