Photography and Accidents

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29245, 1 July 1960, Page 9

Photography and Accidents

r FHE high rate of casualties on British roads has stimulated repeated discussions, protests, plans, and suggestions from many quarters. Demands have been made that the causes of the accidents should be analysed, says an editorial in a recent issue of the British Journal of Photography. The editorial pays tribute to the New Zealand Minister of Transport in 1939, Mr R. Semple, who realised the assistance photography can play in road safety. Quoting a statement made by Mr Semple, the editorial says

twelve traffic inspectors were supplied with official cameras and, in addition, a number utilised official film in approved private equipment. The cameras were found to be particularly valuable in dealing with road hazards, such as dangerous approaches j to

bridges and level crossings, ridges of loose gravel likely to cause skids, and obstructions reducing visibility. In these and a dozen other cases one picture was often worth more than a lengthy report. Any organisation opposing the taking of these photographs for production in court was opposing the safeguarding of its own members. Traffic records for the past two years indicated that not keeping to the left, especially on blind bends and hill crests, was the most frequent cause of accidents. Not keeping to the left was practically the only cause of deadly head-on collisions. Something had got to be done to protect the law abiding motorist from the habitual ‘corner cuttet’ and the driver who gambled witlf the lives of others by driving on the wrong side.”