MOTOR FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10282, 17 May 1919, Page 7

MOTOR FATALITY

CORONER’S RIDER AT CHRISTCHURCH INQUEST.

ADVICE TO LOCAL BODIES,

Press Association.

CHRISTCHURCH. May 16. % The adjourned inquest on O. C. Tothill, the well-known seed merchant, who was killed as the result of a mo-tor-car, driven by his daughtet, colliding with an unlighted vehicle on the night of the 3rd instant, was continued. ■ Tho coroner, Mr S. E- McCarthy, S.M., returned a verdict «t accidental death, and added that the cart was unlighted and on tho wrong side of tho road, and that the car was on its right aide, and had lights. He also added tho following rider: (1) The evidence - discloses the need for a by-W- limiting the speed at which motor-driven vehicles can lawfully bo driven in the city, the prescribed speed varying according to the density of the traffic. (2> The evidence further discloses the need for legislation providing that immediately on a traffic accident happening, one or other of the persons cone si ned therein shall be placed under duty to notify the local authority of tho accident, and that some officer of the local authority shall bo placed under tho duty to immediately repair to the scene of the accident and take note of the marks on the road caused by the accident and accurately delineate such marks on a plan drawn to scale. * (a) The evidence further discloses that there is a wholesale failure on tho part of riders and drivers of all classes of vehicles to comply with the traffic by-laws, and that there does not appear to bo any adequate attempt‘by a local authority to control the traffic or bring offenders to hook.