MOTOR CYCLISTS' DANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 153, 1 July 1938, Page 6

MOTOR CYCLISTS' DANGER.

Between March 15, 1937, and March 81, 1938, 892 motor cyclists and pillion riders were killed or injured. Those killed numbered 28, f and those seriously, injured 213. Although l statistics on the point are not available, the • common impression is that the majority of the victims were youths and young men; certainly it is rare to find a motor cyclist over 40 years of age. The motor cycle, in fact, is taking a heavy toll of the lives of men at ages when they are potentially most valuable. It is to misuse a word to attribute the majority of these deaths, with all the sorrow and distress consequent upon them, to "accident." The fundamental cause,. as the Minister of Transport has said, is "either disregard of the rules of the road or sheer ignorance." Both causes are preventable. It is therefore an encouraging sign that the Auckland Motor Cycle Club proposes to form a road safety committee, on the lines of those formed in other centres. By example and education the responsible motor cyclists can do a great deal to increase safety on the roads. They can do something which cannot be done in any other way, except by imposing severe restrictions. In particular they can point out —until every motor cyclist knows it—that when a motor . cyclist is injured he is likely to be seriously injured, more likely than a motor car driver ior a pedestrian. They can also point out that .the question of imposing restrictions, which 'would certainly be resented, upon motor eyelists, has been officially considered by the Road Safety Council, which, at the request of the Auto-Cycle Union, postponed action. There is in this fact an additional incentive to all motor cyclists in the Auckland , area to support the «rg:mis»d campaign now ;:roposei!.