Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 18, 1939. SAFETY ON THE ROADS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 January 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 18, 1939. SAFETY ON THE ROADS

r piTAT I lie road safety campaign not only has served, but continues to serve an excellent purpose is attested in various ways. In a statement on Saturday, the Minister ol Transport (Mr Semple) observed that in the eighteen days to that date there had been twelve traffic deaths in the North Island, compared with only two in Ihe South Island. Particularly where the North Island is concerned, this still leaves plenty of room for improvement, Ind the national position disclosed is that not only have serious road accidents involving loss ol life or injury been much fewer than, is usual at this time ol the year, but there has been a considerable reduction also in materia] damage. The general manager of an insurance company doing an extensive business has stated that- damages claims show a. great Talling off in number and' amount as compared with earlier holiday seasons and the experience of other companies is said to be similar. This is extremely gratifying, but. the fact that so much lias been accomplished in. cutting down the incidence of road accidents in a. period 01. abnormal traffic should awaken a. general desire to have this improvement extended and made permanent.

What has been accomplished thus far should be regarded, indeed, as only a beginning. Because many motorists and other road users have exercised constant care, the number ol accidents has been reduced very considerably, but it is possible to do even better. Those who make constant use ol the roads bear witness to the fact that, some reckless and inconsiderate driving is still to be seen at times and occasional examples of road hogging are to be noted in the streets of our towns. It is both necessary and possible in these circumstances that the improved road safety record of the holiday period should be maintained and built upon. This implies that motorists' and others' who are exercising care must, lie induced to continue doing so, ami that those who are not. exercising dm 1 care and showing the consideration they should to other road users, a loot or awheel, must be compelled io do so.

The resources of the Transport. Department and those of the automobile associations and other interested organisations cannot be applied to any better purpose than that of conducting a continuing road safety Campaign. Means no doubt can be devised of awakening sustained interest in the enterprise ol: culling down rOad accidents to their practicable minimum. It is a matter largely of keeping the facts of Ihe position before the public. Most, people are-very willing to play their part in abating slaughter on the roads, and as efforts to that end are extended, it will become easier to single out and deal drastically with those who foolishly or recklessly refuse to make their contribution to road safety.

While they call for careful planning, the details of a continuing campaign should present no very great, difficulty. Brief and pointed statements of the position at.regular intervals are called for, and no deubt, the Press throughout the Dominion will, readily co-operate in giving the necessary publicity. Radio services may also be called usefully into play. Lecturettes by competent authorities to school pupils might well be instituted on a permanent basis. These and other measures, with the imposition of drastic penalties where they are called lor, should make it possible to build impressively on what has been, accomplished during the last few weeks. There certainly should be no question of allowing the good effect of the road safety campaign to die out and gradually be forgotten until another holiday season approaches.

It has already been suggested that if accidents are kept, down io the proportions that, have ruled of late, it may be possible to reduce motor insurance premiums. Apart, from the question of economy, this is a matter well worth going into from the standpoint of encouraging careful driving. The practice of granting premium concessions to drivers whose records are clean has been adopted to some extent in Hie United States and elsewhere and may be worth trying in New Zealand. From the broadest standpoint, in any case, unrelaxed efforts to promote greater safety on the roads are splendidly worth while.