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Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1929, Page 4

Holiday time in particular produces a ipecial crop of motor accidents. All die year round tliere are far too many ■Accidents of the nature referred to, but .vitli so many people on wheels over the summer holidays, it is nit .surprising the liability to accident is ;reater than ever. Hitherto this quarter of the Dominion has been more free from accidents than most parts, hut during the week a number of eol boons wore reported. The most severe resulted in the victims tying taken to the hospital, but the consequences >f the accident fortunately were not atal. 'l'lie frequency with which mot r accidents occur should cause drivers to )-> more alert and watchful, and always to observe the rules of the road as to traffic, and the regulations as !/■ speed and direction. If more care and less speed were shown the accident■ would be less numerous. /Ml over tdie world, however, the liability to motor accidents is very marked. In lnrg” and populous centres the accidents are increasing alarmingly, and should he a lesson taken very much to heart. There is an obligation on the authorities to sec that the rules and regain (ions governing motor traffic are observed. Many drivers arc reckless •mint sjß'ed, and pass intersecti'r without observing the regulations provided for such traffic. No doubt with the improving god roads, the habit of simcd is growing upon drivers, but that is not an excuse for failure to observe tbc rules of the road and particularly to lie watchful at all cross ings or intersections; The time is at hand when more should he done through traffic inspectors to check the vices of careless drivers. Some portion of the hoarded money from the petrol tax might well ho devoted to such a purpose. Doth the police and local todies should ho urged to enforce the regulations governing the safetv of traffic, and with the funds at disposal this could he done equitable by means of financial assistance. Tt does not apnenr possible to impress motorists with the liability to accident for the want of proper precautions. At all events they do not learn from the experience of others, and there is a daily toll of accidents recorded. The more roads are improved, the hotter the visibility, the'higher the speed maintained, and the greater the liability to accident. M’tomobile associations might well bo asked to co-operate with the authorities in the effort to educate the reckless and uncaring to the dangers and difficulties they run through the wane of reasonable care in observing the rules of the road and the regulations governing motor transit.