TOLL OF THE MOTOR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1939, Page 11

TOLL OF THE MOTOR

A DISASTROUS RECORD. FATALITIES IN APRIL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. “The loss of over one life a day is beyond all reason, even after making i allowance for the increased traffic on the roads,” said the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple, when referring yesterday to the 33 fatalities on the highways in April. He said that during the year ended March 31 last the fatal accidents per 10,000 vehicles had been reduced by 10.4 per cent, but this achievement had been marred by the disastrous record of the past month. “Whenever we maxe a special effort we seem to be able to secure a valuable saving of lives on the road, but as soon as we relax slightly the accident rate booms,” said Mr Semple. “Partly owing to Safety Week, the number of fatal accidents last year was actually reduced —and this, despite an increase of 26,260 in the number of vehicles on the road. Christmas traffic was exceptionally heavy, yet only 20 lives were lost on the roads during the whole of December. Funds did not permit a Safety Week prior to Easter, and the fatal accident rate for April was 65 per cent higher than for December. Last month will nrobably establish the highest total of deaths of any month since the .accident statistics were started.” Mr Semple said that the extraordinary feature of the accidents during the month was the number of multiple fatalities. Four persons, members of one family, were killed in an “off-the-road” accident in Motueka; three persons in one car were killed in /a collision in the Waikato; two pedestrians were struck from behind by an overtaking car near Waverley; a motor-cyclist and his pillion rider were killed near Dunedin, and a car overran the Devonport ferry wharf, two young lives being lost. Twentyfour accidents during the month had accounted for a total of 33 deaths. Eighteen, or more than half of those killed, had been car passengers. A third of all the fatalities and nearly a half of the total number of deaths resulted from “off-the-road” or “oneman” accidents, indicating, in far too many cases, speed too great for the circumstances. There were six collisions between motor vehicles, taking a total of nine lives. The increased dangers resulting from reduced hours of daylight, Mr Semple said, were particularly well shown in the figures relating to the most exposed classes of road users, pedestrians, of whom six were killed, and cyclists, three of whom lost their lives. With the end of daylight saving- and the oncoming of wintry conditions, the accident risk to pedestrians and cyclists would very greatly increase. A special enforcement campaign relating to lights and red reflectors had been initiated during the present month. He appealed to all cyclists throughout the Dominion for their own safety to check their red reflectors, or, better still, to fit real lights. Parents whose children rode bicycles should realise ’that while reflectors were efficient under most circumstances, when headlights of overtaking cars were inefficient or were dipped, a red taillight was safer. Pedestrians walking on roads at night time, the Minister said, should carry a torch or wear light clothing. Unless there was a steep bank on the right-hand side, pedestrians should keep to the right, i.e., face approaching traffic.

Mr Semple made a special appeal to motorists to make allowance for reduced visibility through wet windscreens. Rain on slippery bitumen also reduced effective stopping distances. Many accidents occurred last May and June because motorists would not signal their turns during rainy weather.