ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27584, 15 February 1955, Page 14

ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

RESULTS DURING HOLIDAYS

AUTHORITIES “GREATLY ENCOURAGED” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 14. “We are greatly encouraged by the results of the all-out, all-round campaign against the drunken and the drinking driver. There will be no letup in this: we’re going after the drinking driver,” said the Commissioner of Trapsport (Mr H. B. Smith) today. He was commenting on figures made available by the Justice Department on the imprisonment of the worst traffic offenders and the cancellation of driving licences. In the holiday period over Christmas and the New Year, about 200 ignition keys were surrendered, to the greater safety of both owners and public, said Mr Smith. The statistics were divided into three sections, which in each case covered the four months from October to January. Section 39 of the Transport Regulations prescribed penalties for reckless or intoxicated driving which led to bodily injury or death, said Mr Smith. There were nine prosecutions; one driver was imprisoned, and six lost their licences for considerable periods. Under this heading, January was the worst month, with three convictions. Fewest Offences in January Section 40 dealt with driving while incapable of having proper control through drink or a drug, or while intoxicated, Mr Smith said. 222 convictions: 87 persons went to prison; 222 hacj their licences cancelled for a year or more. Section 40A dealt with persons “drunk in charge” (but not actually driving or attempting to drive), he said. Forty-eight persons were convicted, and 40 of them lost their licences. The total convictions for the four months were 279. The feature which gave the department encouragement was that January, with the heaviest motoring of the whole year, and with 57 convictions under the three sections, had the smallest number of the four-month period, Mr Smith said. Convictions in each of the preceding months exceeded 70. The January figures dropped sharply in the transport districts of Auckland (from 15 to eight), Hamilton (15 to eight) and Christchurch (13 to eight), said Mr Smith. But the Wellington transport district (town and country), after improving from 12 convictions in October to seven in November, rose to nine in December and to 10 in January—the highest figure recorded for this transport district.

These serious Wellington district road offences were widespread, for the convictions were recorded in seven Courts, Mr Smith concluded.