MOTOR CASUALTIES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5231, 25 January 1928, Page 2

MOTOR CASUALTIES.

INCREASING NUMBEKi

DETAILS FOR 1926.

While; drowning continues to be the ‘ principal cause of accidental death in . New Zealand, (165 cases in 1926), velvcle accidents are’ relatively", creasing as a cause of. death in New Zealand (says the Chamber of Commerce Journal). . . To avoid confusion as to the classification of vehicle accidents causing death the practice is adopted Where two different classes of vehicle are involved in the accident of ascribing it to the, heavier or less mobile vehicle. ' During 1926 only 23 deaths were thus attributed to horse-drawn vehicles, 17 to trams, 53 to trains, and ; 149 to motor vehicles. ' The figures - for deaths from automobile accidents || averaged only 60 annually in 1922 and. 1923, and have steadily increased since. Collisions between trains and motor vehicles (at level crossings) caused nine,- deaths, which are included in the 23 attributed to trains. Of the deaths caused by motor ve-. hides in 1926, 26 were due ta over-. turnings ; five by falls over banks,, etc. ; 4(0 by collisions; 11 falls of passengers from vehicles ; ope by board- 1 ing a motor bus while in motion; and 66 were caused by persons beingstruck by motor vehicles, etc. Thetypes of collisions figuring most; largely were of motor-cars with-, motor-cycles (10 deaths), and of motor-cars with fixed objects (nine: deaths).