ROAD ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24653, 24 August 1945, Page 4

ROAD ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR

SLIGHT DECREASE REPORTED

There was a slight decrease in the number of road accidents causing deaths and injuries during 1944, says the annual report of the Transport Department, fabled in Parliament this week. ■ The total number of accidents was 2097, causing death or injury to 2667 persons. ' During 1943, there were 2112 accidents, and 145 nersons were killed and 2746 injured. Details of accidents during- 1944 are as follows, statistics being given of persons killed and injured respectively: occupants of motor vehicles, 56, 1486; motor-cyclists and pillion riders, 17, 206; bicyclists, 23. 360; pedestrians. 42. 589; others, 2, 26. During 1939 (before petrol restrictions were introduced). 251 persons were killed and 5649 injured in road accidents. A very large proportion of all rord accidents occurred in the larger urban areas, more particularly in the four metropolitan areas. The following are figures for road accidents in metropolitan areas and cities during 1944. statistics of population, total number of accidents, and number of fatal accidents being given in that order:—Auckland metropolitan area, 185,160, 493, 29; Wellington metropolitan area, 120,700, 196, 8; Christchurch metropolitan area, 129,660. 190, 5: Dunedin metropolitan area, 72,850. 64, 3; Lower, Hutt and Petone, 33.650, 54. 4; Palmerston North, 23,600. 39. 0; Wanganui, 23,400, 40, 0; Invercargill. 22.600. 29, 1.

More than half the number of pedestrian accidents in the Dominion occurred in Auckland and Wellington, and more than one-third of them within the Auckland metropolitan area (which covers Eden County), although this area contains only 11 per cent, of the population of the Dominion and only 12 per cent, of the total number of motor vehicles. “When all types of motor traffic accidents are taken into consideration, the Auckland area has by far the worst record of all centres,” says the report. “While the difficulties-caused by the concentration of population in this area are admittedly considerable, it is evident that more effective measures than have been cpplied hitherto will be necessary if the present rate of the killing and maiming of *he population is to be arrested. This country cannot afford the price in human lives which must be met if effective measures are not taken in the Auckland district.”