ACCIDENT RATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 86, 8 October 1938, Page 11

ACCIDENT RATE

LAST MONTH'S FIGURES

ENCOURAGING DECREASE i

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

BLENHEIM, This Day.

"Twelve persons were killed on tne roads last month compared with seventeen during the same month last year," said the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple), when he arrived yesterday to speak in support of the candidature of Mr. E. P. Meachen. "One-third of the fatalities occurred within 24 hours during one weekend," the Minister said. Mr. Semple regarded the improvement in the accident rate as greatly encouraging, particularly to motorists. Reports from all over the Dominion indicated a big improvement in motoring care and courtesy, "The pedes- j trian accident rate, unfortunately, has not shown the same improvement," he said. "Just as many pedestrians were j killed last month as during September last year. More than half of all fatal accidents and three of the pedestrian fatalities occurred at night time." The night accident rate to pedestrians during the past four months had been exceedingly serious. Thirtythree pedestrians were killed and more than 400 injured between April and August last. Reports showed that the hours of darkness were easily the most dangerous for pedestrians, and on wet, windy nights the accident rate was exceptionally high.

By a curious coincidence, Mr. Semple added, both this- September and during September last yi*.:*. between 3.30 and 4 a.m. on a Sunday morning, cars crashed off bridges, two persons being killed in each accident.