TWENTY-FIVE KILLED

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1937, Page 6

TWENTY-FIVE KILLED

If news were published to-day that in a single "accident" 25 persons were killed aJid 89 injured seriously and 333 injured slightly, the Dominion would be shocked. Yet those numbers of people were killed or injured on tho roads of New Zealand last month, which was a winter month, when the motor traffic is less than in the summer. It is no wonder that the Minister of Transport, who has used his energy in a prolonged effort to reduce the number of road casualties, is gravely concerned, and is wondering what should be done next. No doubt the educational campaign cannot be expected to yield striking results in a short time, but some better result might have been anticipated after the examination and certification of motor vehicles, the general "tightening up' , of the law, and the large volume of publicity advocating safety. It is true that the number of licensed vehicles increased by 27,500 in the twelve months ended on March 31, but this fact merely suggests that but for Mr. Seinple's campaign the casualty figures would have been larger. Obviously there is still a great deal of work for the Rorul Safety Council to do, and the "more drastic action" of which Mr. Semplc speaks is needed for pedestrians as well as for motorists. Last year the total number of deaths in road accidents was reduced from 3/4 to -163, the lower figure being about the average of the preceding ten years. This yeir, inlpss tho total fur June is exceptional] the umber of deaths is likely to rise again, and possibly exceed 200.