ACCIDENT MAP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 75, 21 December 1937, Page 13

ACCIDENT MAP

Roads Where Most Smashes Occur CHR1STMAS EVE DANGER "An interesting conclusion may be taken froni nn accidfent map of the North Island, just prepared by xuy department for the information of holiday motorists, ' ' said the Minister of Transport, the Hon, E. Semple, to-day. "The rural stretches of road where aecidents are most frequent are from Hamilton to Auckland, from Wellington to Waikanae, Palmerston North. to Wanganui, Dannevirke to Takapau, Hawera to New Plymouth, and Napier to Hastings. These are not the badly surfaced, narfow, tortuous roads but the flat'straight invitiUg stretches of well formed highway. These stretches of highway have been built to afford the motorist the maximum safety aud the minimum runnlng costs. They should be safety zones, but can be turned into danger zones by the speed hog, who is a menace to society. Three of the fatalities during the 1936 Christmas week-end Were caused by motor-vehiclea getting out of contrOl and capsiMng or crashing over ■ banks bh main highways, and there were 25 other casualties, many of them serious from this cause, between last Christmas and New Year. "Even thoUgh there will be an allnight patrol by my tfaffic inspectors on Christmas Eve, these stretches of main highway will be carrying a very mucn greater tra&e than normally and the greatest possible care is necessary. Many drivers will be tired after a heavy day's work and will be temptefl to hurry with o-verloaded vehicleS to get to a distant destination. Twentyfour traffiC deaths have occurred in the period beweeh Christmas Eve and BOxing Day iince 1930, and Of these Christmas Eve is easily the most dangCrous "The observations regarding the danger of straight stretches of highway carrying heavy traffic apply equally in the South Island as in the "North," said Mr. Semple. "The moral is for Christmas motorists to Tealise that main highways are carrying the Eeaviest traffic of the year on Christmas Eve; for them to start early, not to huriy, to' stbp when they feel fatigued and," abbve all, to be careful and courteous to other road Usfefs."