ROAD ACCIDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 57, 7 March 1936, Page 14

ROAD ACCIDENTS.

MUST BE REDUCED. MINISTER'S DETERMINATION. RECKLESS DRIVERS WARNED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. National by-laws for traffic control and more drastic penalties for offenders are aimed at by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, who, in an interview to-day, emphasised his determination to reduce road accidents in the Dominion. He described the frequency of acccidents as really staggering.

"You can take it from me that I am right out after the speed hog and the drunken driver," said the Minister. I intend to take steps to improve the position." For the year ended December, 1935, there were 108 fatal accidents, involving 178 deatlis, compared with 171 and 175 respectively in. the previous year. "I am satisfied the lack of complete control of our transport system contributes to the number of accidents, fatal and otherwise," said Mr. Semple. "We have in New Zealand 303 local bodies, and these local bodies appoint a number of traffic inspectors,. some of whom are only part-time, acting as sanitary inspectors, poundkeepers and so on. Traffic control is looked on by them as a side-line. Each one of these bodies, too, has its own by-laws for traffic. Such a position is absurd. , National Set of By-laws. "There should be one national set of by-laws governing control of traffic from the" North Cape to the Bluff and in my opinion to police the roads as they should be policed, traffic control should be entirely under the direction of the State, either by the Police Department, strengthened 'by the appointment of competent inspectors, or by the Transport Department. This would give a greater measure of national control under a uniform set of by-laws or regulations, and would no doubt minimise the number of road accidents that take place to-day." Mr. Semple stated that in liis opinion the penalties for "speed hogs" an d drunken drivers were far too lenient. When these men were brought before the Court the penalties should be severe and their tickets cancelled for life. "Potential Murderers." "Men who ignore the rules of the road are potential murderers and should be dealt with," declared the Minister. "Men who are found intoxicated should have their licenses cancelled. They are a menace to life. What we have to aim at is to reduce the appalling accident figures and that can be done only by severe penalties and national control. I am not going to sit here and allow people to be needlessly slaughtered. It must be prevented, and it is going to bo prevented. Of course, some unforeseen accidents might happen, however cautious you might be, but the present percentage is really staggering. I seek the co-operation not only of motoring people, but of the community, to help prevent this needless slaughter." The Minister added that the most striking prima facie conclusion emerging from a detailed analysis of the position was that just over 00 per cent, of the major causes of fatal accidents involved breaches of the traffic laws.