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IT.—40

Motor-cyclists. Motor-cycles are involved in so many accidents that a special approach to this section of motoring appears necessary. We think that, in addition to special publicity, the matter should be treated in the manner suggested for applicants for motor-car drivers' licenses. Pedal Cyclists.—These, as a group, will probably be the hardest to persuade, and in the absence of provision for registration we can .only suggest that special publicity be directed to the pedal cyclist. Ma,ny of them are school-children and can be directly reached in the schools. Pedestrians. Upon the coming into operation of new regulations affecting pedestrians, special publicity will be necessary to encourage and, if possible, ensure observance of the regulations. In this connection we mention a small booklet entitled " Road Safety for Pedestrians " issued by the General Accident, Fire, and Life Assurance Corporation, with a foreword by the British Minister of Transport. Traffic Officers. We also refer to the desirability of giving advice and instruction to Traffic Officers so that they may be better able to contribute to the movement for the instruction and co-operation of road users. Summary. As we are not aware what funds will be available for the Council's purposes it is not possible for us to make positive and detailed recommendations as to the extent to which the various means should be employed, but we submit herewith the outline of a comprehensive scheme for the consideration of the Council from the standpoints of desirability and practicability. This scheme has been prepared by the advertising agencies at our request and after full consultation between the representatives of the agencies and the Committee. The principal matters referred to in this report are summarized as under :— (1) Comprehensive educational and propaganda scheme, continuously applied, and designed to enlist full co-operation of the public and to achieve maximum results, including reduction in expenditure in other directions and lessening necessity for action in the Courts. (2) Provision for the future by introduction of safety-first education into the schools. (3) Advertising agencies' offer of co-operation. (4) Publicity under the auspices of the Council. (5) Highway Code : Issue and method of distribution. (6) Newspapers : General advertising, letterpress, editorials. (7) Radio : Short addresses at regular intervals ; progress reports ; radio plays ; short _ recordings—safety maxims ; competitions to interest and educate listeners. (8) Picture-theatres : Advice slogans on slides and records ; short films portraying traffic rules in preference to long films. ■ (9) Posters : Out-of-doors and in trams, buses, trains, shops, and lifts. (10) Safety-first Slogans : Post Office stamp-cancelling machines. (11) Utilization of Government publications. (12) Regular bulletins of casualties : Press and radio. • (13) Practical demonstrations at motor gymkhanas and agricultural and pastoral shows. (14) Co-operation of traders. (15) Uniform, standard of qualifications for drivers' licenses. (16) Special treatment for each class of road-user. F. C. Spratt, Chairman. [This report and the Addendum following were adopted by the Council subject to the question of finance being held over and the Minister's responsibility for policy being kept in view.] ADDENDUM. Since writing our report we have examined in detail, and have adopted, the attached report of the Advertising Agencies (not published herein). Although the amount involved (£50,000 for the first year) may appear to be considerable, the committee is fully seized of the importance of the Council's objectives, and we feel that the question is one which should first of all be looked at in that light. We mention the saving of life, the prevention of injury and incapacity, and the saving of property—with consequential savings and benefits to the community as a whole, to Hospital Boards, and to insurance companies, and to the State itself in the form of a reduction' in the costs of pensions', prosecutions, prisons, &c. If the results of road-safety education went no further than the saving of twenty-five useful lives a year, and adopting the figure of £2,000 as the economic value of each, there would be a recoupment of the full amount, but there are, in. addition, various other savings, both direct and indirect.

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