Causes of Road Accidents

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26220, 18 September 1950, Page 6

Causes of Road Accidents

The representative of the South Island Motor Union on the New Zealand Road Safety Council (Mr R. Wilson) has usefully surveyed the latest road accident statistics and analysed the main causes of accidents. Not many will disagree with him that excessive speed is the M basic ” cause of most accidents—certainly of many more than the official statistics suggest. Many accidents which are otherwise classified—including that troublesome group, failure to give way to the right—would not have happened if the offenders had been travelling a little more slowly. Mr Wilson did well to emphasise that the one unpredictable element in traffic regulation is the human factor. Roads may be perfectly engineered, vehicles in faultless mechanical condition, traffic laws both wise and easily understood, the system of enforcement as complete and efficient as possible—and still accidents will happen because every now and then a driver will unwittingly relax his vigilance and another will deliberately take a risk. Mr Wilson* did well, also, to say that it takes two to .make a collision. He deplored the attitude of some motorists who stand upon what they believe—sometimes wrongly—to be their rights. These are the drivers who travel to the limit of the legal speed, regardless of the density of traffic and of the frequency of intersections, and who would rather risk a Collision than concede the right-of-way to a vehicle on their left. These, the few who are “ impatient and aggres- “ sive ” and who “ own the road ”, as Mr Wilson said, are a small minority; but they cause a lot of trouble on the roads, as the impatient and aggressive and intolerant and selfish do anywhere. One of the weaknesses of traffic administration in this country, especially in the main centres, is that insufficient attention is given to disciplining the few bad-mannered motorists, motor-cyclists, and cyclists. The number of prosecutions for failing to give way is more nearly representative of the number of collisions than the number of actual offences; and in the great majority of cases offences do not result in collisions only because someone else is alert enough and courteous enough to save the offender from the consequences of his offence. Action is not often taken against the motorist who blows his horn impatiently and 'imperiously when approaching intersections—and even pedestrian crossings—or when momentarily delayed by other traffic. The great majority of motorists would be glad to see these pests firmly dealt with; for it is the driver who has no consideration

for the feelings of others who is usually least careful of the safety of others. There .are not enough prosecutions or warnings under the regulations which make “ in- “ considerate driving ” a punishable offence.