H.—4o,

Table O.-The Day and Time of Occurrence of Motor Accidents where Drivers were Intoxicated or otherwise influenced by Liquor to some extent.

As well as accidents caused mainly by intoxication of motorists (65) and of pedestrians (31) there were 5 instances of intoxicated bicyclists causing the accident. The following main facts emerge from a study of the foregoing tables relating to driving when under the influence of liquor : — (i) While the severity of all accidents is represented by 1 fatal accident for every 18 or 19 non-fatal, in cases where the driver was to some extent under the influence of liquor 1 accident in 8 was fatal. Where the driver was definitely intoxicated, every sixth accident proved fatal. ~| . (ii) Collisions with another motor-vehicle are the predominant type of accident, while there were also 55 instances where no other road user was involved. Collisions with bicyclists were frequent, also collisions with telegraph poles. (iii) More than half these accidents happened on the country highways. (iv) These accidents were most frequent during the evening hours, mainly from ■) p.m. to 9 p.m., but also to a lesser extent until after midnight. (v) Of all the accidents involving liquor 42| per cent, occurred between 4 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday. Of the 202 accidents the condition of intoxication was stated to be the mam cause of accident in 65 instances. Of the remainder, the most frequent causes were found to be : (i) Excessive speed .. ■ • • • • • ■ • .. 30 instances. (ii) Failure to keep to the correct side .. • • • • .. 26 instances. (iii) Inattention .. ■ • • • ■ • • • " ?? instances. (iv) Failure to give way .. ■ • • • ■ • .. 14 instances. (v) Passing other vehicle negligently .. • • .. 9 instances. When these causes arc compared with the most frequent causes for all accidents it is found that excessive speed is a much more prominent factor where the driver is affected by liquor than it is in general. (i) Departmental Action based on Accident Statistics. (1) Accident Maps for Selective Enforcement.— In order to identify the sections of road and particular locations where accidents are most frequent accident maps have been maintained m respect of accidents on the rural roads. It is obvious that with a limited staff of Traffic Inspectors it has been necessary to adopt a policy of selective enforcement consisting of concentrating the Inspectors where accidents are most frequent. The information revealed by the maps is used to direct the activities oi the

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Number of Accidents where Driver was Intoxicated or influenced to some extent by Liquor. Hour of Day. — ; ( Mo^ k to d m). | Satmda y s - | Sunda y s - I Total - Midnight to 1 a.m. ...... 4 2 4 10 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. . • •• •• 3 •; r 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. .. • • • • 1 1 Q A 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. .. .... i . • 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. .. • • • • 1 ' 1 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. .. •• •• •• '' 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. .. • • • • 2 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. .. ■ • • ■ 1 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. 11 a.m. to noon . . . . ■ ■ • • ' Noon to 1 p.m. .. • ■ ■ ■ ■ • I • • • • r 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ...... 3 1 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. .. ■■ •• 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. .. •• •• 8 2 .. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. .. • • • ■ 2 7 2 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. .. ■ ■ • • 10 16 2 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. . . • • • ■ 15 13 5 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. ...... 6 1® | "" 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ...... 4 8 4 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. .. • • • • 6 3 • • • 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. .. •• 8 5 •• • 1 ] p.m. to midnight ...... 10 6 2 Total .. .. •• 86 84 32 202 — ' u - Jdu "-" ... 1 O .. "1 _ ..J__ ' /01\