TOLL OF THE ROAD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 54, 26 November 1937, Page 16

TOLL OF THE ROAD

Safety Should Be Put Before Speed MR SEMPLE'S STATEMENT » ■ "There is more need than' ever foi motorists to pnt safety before speed The Government, through its engineers is trying to make the highways safer. Motorists, do your bit and adapt youi speed to your road." This was the appeal of the Minister of Transport, Hon R Semple, when commenting on the ifact that more deaths were recorded ia the Press last month from accidents' ia 'which cars crashed over banks or capisized than were recorded from all Jcanses, including collisions and pedes•trian fatalities, during the corresponding month of last year, "During October, 1936, accidents oi all kinds to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, resulted in 12 deaths," said the Minister. "During October of this year, there were 13 deaths of motorists alone, from what is virtually one cause . —cars getting out of control and erashing over banks or capsizing. "The following are extracts from preliminary reports, describing how these typical accidents happen," observed Mr, Semple: (1) Marks on the road suggested that the car somersaulted three times. The driver was apparently killedinstantly; (2) The lorry crashed ovei the bank, 'f all ing about 15 feet and turning over several times.. The de ceased and her two children were thrown out. The deeeased and one oi the children suffered serious injuries; and (3) The vehicle became uncontrollable and somersaulted, landing' oh the left hand side. The young ' man who was driving sufferod severe head injuries and died soon afterwards. "These are but a few of the month's accidents which were "not eollisions in the ordinary sense," said Mr. Semple. "Forty-fou! non-collisioii — that is onevehicle accidents — were reported to i/« Transport Department during th; month and there have been 227 since March last. To these musfc be added the accidents in which the vehicle left the road and struck a lixed objee.t— a tota] of 27 last month and 122 since March. "To my r ind these ligures demonstrate that it is not always the othei fellow wjho is to blame. These were all 'one fellow' accidents," said the Minister, "and very many of them cccurre'd on the open road. -The temptation to 'step on the gas' is irresistible to many. bufr these. can be just a few of the results of failure to adapt a speed to the road conditions. "There is a second conelusion, how* . ever, which I talce from these iigurei and "that is that if the summer is fine (as it promises to be) 'motorists will be driving at much greater risk J.Lan they appreciate, or for which they will allow. B - «Three hundred and seven accidents, causing injury to 427 persons 'were repprted to Ihe Transport Department last month; this represents an average of 14 persons injured every day Twelve deaths resulted from trafSc accidents during October last year. This October, 21 fatalities • were reported to the dep.artment.. The October fatality rate, therefore, has jumped by 75 per cent. "Last month proved to be the best weather month in New Zealand'a ■ meteorological history. It was also one of our worst accident months," said Mr. Semple. "October last year was a poor weather but safe motoring month compared with it. - "Most of ' the fatalities , last inonth occurred out of the cities. Nearly half. of them happened on, Saturday. Sunday was the next worse day. All b.ut f our of the fatal accidents not involving pedestrians occurred during week-ends. - "This increase in the number of fatalities, 'especially during the week--ends, has cqincided with the" fine weather, an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, and the increase in the average mileage ; per vehicle, which is permitted by the now lohger wcek-end. Possibly, road users have not realised the increased risk of.the summer months, but tho week-end exodus has only just begun. With' fine weather ahead and still moia vehicles on the road, the need for the greatest possible precaution- on every one 's parfc in the near future becqmes absolutely impcrative. - , - "Heavy road traffie does not necesaarily .involye road ac.cidents. Experience on race days and during the recent Bugby tests indicated clearly that when discipline is imposed, roads even

under very heavy traffie conditions can he comparatively free from accidents. "I am . greatly concerned, as many motorists must be, at what awaits the : motoring public in the fine summer months ahead. After due consideration, I have resolved to instruct the department's traffie officers, while continuing their educational work, to start im-> mediately upon the sorting out of those whose negligent driving shows that they should be taken before tha courts. There, the question will be whe* ther or not they should be allowed to retain possession of their licence during the peak period o^ the holidays. I feel that it is unfair and altogether unl reasonable that eareful drivers, who constituto the ma-jority, and their families,. should be left open to slaughter at the hands of those wlio are reeklesn and careless. Eeckless motorists themselves may realise upon reflcCtion that1 a good turn will be done them if they are saved from the results of their jwn rashness. "In addition, I would appeal to the xtecn Automobile Associations to eo;erate with the Government by invitj their members to report all serious ;aches — speeding at intersectioiis, >rtaking at bends, and so on— to jir association with a view to the ies being takeu up by my depart-

nt. It is m making "every motorist highway mspector, edueatcd to the :a that it is his duty and responsibil- > to make and keep the highways ?t ■ that tho Automobile Associations i do a great public servlce, not only their members, but to the community ' a Wholii/