STREET FATALITIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 195, 31 May 1934, Page 8

STREET FATALITIES

HIGHEST RATE IN WELLINGTON.

SEVEN YEARS' FIGURES.

(Special to the " Guardian.") WELLINGTON, May 30

A brief study of motor-vehicle fatalities in the four principal urban centres, undertaken by the authority of the Wellington city engineer, shows that between 1927 and 1933 the death rate was greatest in Wellington, closely followed by Auckland, with a considerable gap between them and Christchurch. The mean rate per 100,0(10 of the population for 1927-1933 was 13.19 at Wellington, 12.84 at Auckland, 8.27 at Christchurch, and 7.00 at Dunedin. Last year's rate was: Wellington, 7.6; Auckland, 7.7; Christchurch, 6.1; and Dunedin, 4.6. Luring the past seven years the total number of persons killed as a result of motor-vehicle accidents in these urban areas was:—Auckland, 191 j Wellington, 127; Christchurch, 73;'Dunedin, 42; total, 433 i During 1930 the death rate per 100,000 population reached 22,4 in the Wellington urban area, but since that year it has steadily declined. As regards deaths resulting from all street traffic accidents in the principal urban areas, Wellington again heads the death rate with the figure of 18.3. The actual number of deaths arising from all street traffic accidents in these urban areas between 1930 and 1932 inclusive was:— Auckland, 108; Wellington, 78; Christchurch, 41; Dunedin, 23; total, 230.