MOTORING

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18947, 11 March 1927, Page 7

MOTORING

CITY OF DEATH.

LONDON'S UNENVIABLE REPUTATION. THREE KILLED DAILY. London now stands supreme throughout the world as a Citv of Death so far as its traffic is concerned (says a writer in the "Daily Mirror"). A comparison of official returns showing the number of people killed in different cities places London easily at the head of the list. In London an average of three people are killed every day in street accidents; in New York just over two- a day, and in Paris about 1.3 a day. In the first nine months of 1926 no fewer than 710 people were killed in the metropolitan area of London, compared with 351 for Paris and its suburbs. The figures for people injured in London accidents during this period have not yet been published, but those for Paris and suburbs show 2779 casualties. Increase Year by Year. Against the Paris figures of the injured for the first nine months of the year there were no fewer than 40,173 injured in London streets in the whole of 1925. Unfortunately, the loss of life grows heavier year by year in London, and the time has, in the opinion of experts, arrived to take strong measures to stem the death tide. Whether any solutions or safeguards will be evolved as the result of this recommendation remains to be seen, but the L.C.C. Committee have sounded the ■ alarm. Before presenting their report to the full meeting of the L.C.C. the committee made very thorough investigations into the present state of affairs. Amongst their outstanding discoveries was the fact that 75 per cent, of the persons killed in London arc pedes- • trians. The Londoner has not kept abreast of the times. In the words of an expert "the pedestrian has too long been pampered by the authorities and led to believe that he is immune from responsibility, and that the onus of avoiding accidents rests solely upon the driver of a vehicle." The slogan that "the pedestrian has as much right in the roadway (irrespective of the circumstances of the moment) as a vehicle" has been for many years a dearly-cherished phrase. There are unmistakable signs, however, that tho sense of these "die-hard" words is to bo ruthlessly challenged. In. their report, the L.C.C. committee stated that drivers of vehicles are "not seldom" involved in bad accidents due entirely to tho carelessness of a pedestrian who himself may escape scot free. Pedestrians' Claim. "A pedestrian has Ms legitimate claim on the road," adds this instructive report, "but it is his duty to protect himself and use ordinary care." In Paris, for example, the citizen has not been brought up to believe that he can move about a'busy roadway just as he pleases in the certain belief that vehicle drivers will take care of him. He is instructed as to how and where he shall cross the street. The result of this is the almost total absence in Paris of'the "jay-walker,", as the foolish pedestrian is known in America. * Although the population of London (19£1 census) is only two and a half times that of Paris, the number of its killed and injured each year is nearly fourteen times as many! More people are killed and injured than before. Expensive subways at the busiest crossings are comparatively deserted, and the pedestrian .seems anxi-

ous to court greater risks every day. Personal safety and even the safety of others nre gl.-i'ily sncrilic'.'d in ;i m;id rush to move hurriedlv from ylaee to place. Safety Sacrificed. Mere seconds arc at times, it would almost seem, accounted more valuable than life. If Londoners refuse to take care of themselves of their own free will, efforts will !)'e made very soon to force them to do so—by means of authorised crossing places, etc. The question of the responsibility of drivers of motor vehicles will also receive attention, but it is generally agreed that the standard of efficiency of the average driver in London is pretty high. Accidents do occur as «the result of dangerous and negligent driving, but they arc i:i a comparatively insignificant minority compared with the number of accidents brought about by careless and negligent pedestrians. SAFETY CAMPAIGN. DISCUSSED BY S.I.M.U. REPORT TO BE DRAWN UP. The proposed Safety of Traffic Campaign occupied the attention of the executive of the South Island Motor Union last night. Mr W. L. Minson presided, and others present wore: Messrs B. Falck, F. W. Johnston, W. K. Carey, and P. R. Harman. (secretary). The following proposals were submitted to the meeting:—(l) Activities in the schools, lectures, essays, etc.; (2) Propaganda in the newspapers, churehes, radio talks, and motion pictures-; (3) A uniformity of traffic by-laws, regulations and control; (4) Issue of pamphlets, statistics, etc., from the Underwriters' Association; (5) Co-operation i". town-planning regarding the widtli of roads, construction of bridges, tramlines, corners, etc.; (G) Publication of statistics of traffic accidents. Mr Falck gave details of the Safety First Campaign conducted in America, and said that the best thing to do in New Zealand would be to draw up a comprehensive report, embodying information from various interested bodies, and then go ahead with it. The Government was the proper body, to take it up, but the Government would not act uSitil it hiid something definite to go on, "We could get each body to work up ii separate report, aud. then hold a conference," said the chairman. Mr Falck: The campaign was taken up in America by the Central authorities. ( The chairman said that the first move was to secure the sympathy of the Government, and get it to take up the whole matter. Mr Harnian said that the best thing to do was to draft a schemo and get the Minister for Internal Affairs to take it up. The chairman that New Zealand had not yet the congestion which prevailed in other countries. Mr Carey:-We are the second motoring country in the world per capita, and in time the '.position will become very acute. . • Mr Johnston suggested that good work for the safety campaign could be done by the Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Cadets," and other similar bodies. After further discussion it was decided that Messrs Johnston and Falck should draw up a skeleton report on the proposals, to be submitted, if considered necessary> to: another special meeting of the executive, prior to the half-yearly meeting of the Union on March 25th.