H—4o

Accidents in the large urban areas during recent years are compared as follows :

In Auckland and Wellington collisions with pedestrians predominated as the most frequent type of accident. In Christchurch, and also in the smaller cities, collisions between a motor-vehicle and a cyclist constituted the main type of accident. Collisions between motor-vehicles were also of very frequent occurrence in most of the centres. The Number of Road-users killed or Injured (see Table No. 10). —During 1947, 2,674, or more than half of those injured on the road, were occupants of motorvehicles. Accidents involving this class of road-user were most frequent in the months of March, April, and May. Bicycle-riders injured numbered 789, and of these, 329, or 42 per cent., met with their accidents during the four months March to June. The winter months May to August were the most hazardous for the pedestrian, some 335 -of the 763 pedestrian casualties occurring during this period. Accidents involving the Pre-school Child (see Table No. 11). —Of 53 children under five years involved in traffic accidents during 1947, 1 was killed. During 1946 some 75 were injured, 2 of these being killed. Certain of the Department's advertising propaganda has been directed to the need for parents to supervise these very young when they are on or about the roads. Accidents involving School Pupils (see Table No. 12). —Traffic accidents in 1947 where a school child was injured were slightly more numerous than in 1946, both .among pedestrians and among cyclists. The casualties were as follows: Pedestrians — In 1947, 8 were killed and 158 others injured. In 1946, 8 were killed and 151 others injured. Cyclists — In 1947, 4 were killed and 203 others injured. In 1946, 6 were killed and 181 others injured. The more youthful pedestrians —i.e., up to nine years of age—continue to figure prominently in these accidents, and this year there were more cyclists under ten years who were injured than has previously been the case. B. ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL With the increase in traffic following the easing of the petrol situation the Minister *of Transport decided, in late 1947, to reconstitute the New Zealand Road Safety Council, .an advisory body first set up in 1936 to advise the Government on matters of road

11

Centre. ]STur fiber of Accide :nts. Population at 1st April, 1 QJ.7 Accidents' per 10,000 Population 1945. 1946 . 1947. during 1947. Auckland Metropolitan Area 427 552 641 231,280 27-7 Wellington City 246 281 360 129,400 27-8 -Christehurch City 263 324 302 120,500 25-1 Dunedin City 106 112 104 69,400 15-0 Lower Hutt City 43 66 85 36,500 23-3 Palmerston North City 33 44 60 27,100 22-1 Wanganui City 40 43 61 24,900 24-5 Invereargill City .. .. 21 51 46 25,200 18-2 Hamilton City 42 75 77 23,600 32-6 Totals 1,221 1,548 1,736 687,880 25-3