ROAR ACCIDENTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 19 January 1938, Page 10

ROAR ACCIDENTS

FIGURES FOR NINE MONTHS. MOST MISHAPS ON SATURDAYS. WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. The Transport Department has made available statistics of road fatalities and accidents to the end of December, and though these are not accompanied by a statement from the Minister ot Transport and. the views of the department, the lesson from the tables is clear—that carelessness kills. A more cheering fact that is brought out is that the efforts of the Minister, the department, local activities, and the public as a whole to reduce careless road practices have been largely effective, for notwithstanding the great increase in motor registrations, and the far greater mileage run, the fatal accidents during the nine months from March to December were substantially lower than for the same months of 1936.

Probaly 25,000 more cars were on the roads last month than in December of 1936, but more striking than this was the much greater proportionate increase in running, noted by everyone on the roads and proved by the petrol sales. Last summer was a poor summer in some localities for touring: this summer has been first rate; there is more money to spare and improved roads and camping places have made longer tours more attractive. December was, until the last week, a good month, but Christmas Eve anil New Year’s Eve were tragic days. During the first two iveeks of the month practically no fatal accidents occurred, but on these festive days 14 of the 18 deaths of the month occurred. vSeven pedestrians were killed during the month. EXTRACTS FROM TABLES. Tile tables are prepared in detail, and the following are a few of the more serious points. In each case the total for the period from March 15 to December 31 is given first and the December figure is shown in parenthesis :

Fatal accidents, 157 (18); serious injury 534 (119); minor injury, 2164 (217); total accidents, 2855 (354). Further accidents which occurred late in the month, are still being reported. The victims of fata] accidents were: Drivers, 29 (3); pedestrians, 45 (7, a figure above the monthly average); push cyclists, 19 (1); motor-cyclists, 17 (0); pillion riders. 1 (in December); passengers, 55 (8). Those seriously injured were: Drivel's, 107 (24); pedestrians, 149 124); push cyclists, 89 (20); pillion riders, 17 (6) ; passengers 165 (41). Saturday continues to be the danger day, the nine months’ figures being: Saturday 629, Sunday 401, Monday 322, Tuesday 327, Wednesday 364, Thursday 348, Friday 464. For December, the New Zealand city record was not good, for 191 sorions accidents were recorded for the month in towns of more than 6000 people, 22 in small urban areas, and 141 on country roads. An increase was shown during the theatre hours, for there were 33 accidents between 7 and 8 p.m. during December, almost as many as during the hours of greatest traffic flow, 4 to 5 p.m., 36, and 5 to 6 p.m., 43. That 79 accidents occurred after dark last month suggests that a good deal more night driving has been done, for ‘after dark” means later than 8.30 or 9 o clock.

SPEED AND GRAVEL. Drove off the road,” “overturned on roadway,” and other classifications show_ very clearly again the unhealthy relation between sneed and loose gravel. Since March 198 accidents have been listed under those two headings alone, and skids on loose surfaces were probably directly contributing factors in 65 more accidents when vehicles ran down declines and fell into streams or the sea. Wet bitumen was a probable cause of 36 accidents during December; wet concrete of only three Loose metal is credited with 73. Failure to yield rij£ht of way failure to keep to the left, excessive speed, cutting corners, illegally overtaking, drunken drivers, failure to signal, and cutting in were again chief contributing causes of death and serious injury. Drunkenness led pedestrians into bad trouble last month; six of the pedestrian accidents were considered to be directly due to drunkenness.

For a long time there has been a difference of opinion whether pedestrians on country roads should walk with the traffic, i.e., on the left of the road, or against it. The figures np pear definite on this point. Since March 74 (seven in December) were killed or injured when walking in the same direction as the traffic and only 12 (none in December) when walking against the traffic.