MOTOR-CYCLES AND ROAD SAFETY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 46, 10 March 1937, Page 4

MOTOR-CYCLES AND ROAD SAFETY

The startling .statistics given by the Minister for Transport, the Hon, R. Semple, about mortality on the roads through motor-cyclist aceidents should read a grave warning to those who use this type of vehicie. It is necessary to issne a particular warning to motor-cyclists $ [stafced the Minister]. Although the total of all traffic deaths has been substantially reduced during the last few months the death-rate amongst motor-cyclists remained constant at foar a month. Motorcycles comprise only about one-tenth of the motor vehicles in use but during the last sevek yeaTs they have been involved in nearly a quarter \)f all the fatal road aceidents. With their improvement in construction) mofor-cycles have also been improved in acceleration, speed, and general mobility. In careful hands there is no reason why there should be more risk in riding a motor-cycle to-day than there ever was. Unfortunately, the persons who ride the machines are generally young men, naturally skilful in manipulating them, whose very skill gives them an excess o'f confidence that too frequently leads them to take undue ..risks and so to the disasters of which Mr. Semple 's figures are the tragic reeord. It is not easy to restrain the careless eonfidence of youth; p.or does youth take kindly to warnings of cautious age. But even bold youth must pause in the face of the dreadful figures that the Minister has quoted. Every motor-eyclist who feels inclined to take an unnecessary risk, in steering too hastily through traffic, cutting corners, or slipping by on the wrong side of other vehicles, would do well to remember the tragedies that have come to other motor-cyelists and restrain what might bo a fatal impulse, if not to himself then to some other more careful person.