CARELESS ROAD USERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 125, 26 April 1940, Page 11

CARELESS ROAD USERS.

CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS. CYCLISTS’ FAULTS'. After compiling a summary of the causes of road accidents during the year ended March 31, last, the Transport Department places the blame for what is described as too high a death and accident rate in New Zealand on careless and inattentive rood users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. The summary is based on an analysis of detailed tables of all accidents during the period under review. In collisions between motor-vehicle? the most frequent cause was failure to give way, causing 30 per cent, of such accidents. Failure to keep to the correct side of the road (either at hends or straights) caused 19 per cent, and excessive speed 10 per cent, of these accidents. Altogether, driving laults accounted for 92 per cent, of all collisions between motor-vehicles. The motor-driver was held mainly at fault in 48 per cent, of all collisions with cyclists. Failure to yield the right of way was the most frequent cause. Inattentive driving and failure to keep to the left were other predominant causes. The cyclist caused 42 per cent, of the accidents through neglect to observe the precautions and rules in traffic. His most common faults were failing to give way, failure to keep to the left, failure to signal properly, inattentive riding, and reckless emergence from a side road. Nearly. 5 per cent, of these accidents were due in the main to the cycle being without a light or reflector, or having some other defect. in the pedestrian accidents the motorist was held chiefly responsible in only 22 per cent, of the accidents. Inattention and failing to give way at a pedestrian-crossing were the most frequent causes on his part. r J he pedestrian faults reflected gross carelessness or failure to appreciate his own responsibility and potential danger while using the roadway.