LEVEL CROSSINGS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19819, 6 January 1930, Page 11

LEVEL CROSSINGS.

PAST YEAR'S ACCIDENTS.

DEATHS TOTAL FOURTEEN.

Level-crossing accidents in Xew Zealand during 1929 accounted for 14 deaths, a toll equal to that taken m the previous year. Ten of the victims were motor-vehicle drivers or passengers, one was a cyclist, and three were pedestrians. A total of 46 collisions between trains and motor-cars trucks, or vans occurred at ievel crossings and, in addition to the facilities. 36 people were injured. Three fatalities occurred in the last month of the vear, a car driver being killed near Otorohanga. another near Invercargill, and a lorry-driver being fatallv injured on a Timaru crossing. Following are totals of the killed and injured in" level crossing accidents in Xew Zealand during the host 10

A" record covering the last 21 years shows that 170 people have lost their lives in level-crossing accidents in the Dominion. Earlier accidents averaged only two or three a year owing to the smaller use of motor vehicles. There are 2651 level crossings in New Zealand and less than 100 are equipped with sicnal devices The safeguarded crossings comprise 54 with warningbells, 33 with wig-wag signals, and half-a-dozen with automatic flashing lights. It is roughly estimated that it would cost up to £l"0.000.000 to eliminate all crossings and the installation of flashing siemats would cost approximately -£670.000. with an annual bill for about £70,000 for maintenance. There are, of course, hundreds of crossings which present such good visibility that anything more than a warning notice would never be justified.

1920 _ Killed. 4 Pcrso Injure l'J 1921 4 19 1322 „. It 31 1923 9 32 1921 13 98 1925 11 80 1926 _ 14 40 1927 _ 13 31 ■1P2* 14 4.7 1929 14 3€