The Road Toll

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 8

The Road Toll

Sir, —From two adjacent news items in a copy of “The Times” one learns that the birth rate in Britain is increasing and that road casualties were up by 8 per cent. Perhaps motor traffic is part of the scheme of things for keeping population in check, like the Black Death or a good-sized war. For the first seven months of 1964, road accidents in Britain accounted for some 4000 killed, 52,000 seriously and 155,0000 slightly injured. Many a historic and bloody battle has done less damage than that. We used to observe a two-minutes’ silence on Armistice Day—a pause for salutary reflection. Road traffic, at any rate on country roads, should do just that by means of a temporary speed limit (say 20 m.p.h.) with appropriate notices, imposed wherever a fatal accident has occurred, no matter what the cause. That might make some people think a bit more than many of them appear to do.—Yours, etc., ILAM. December 29, 1964.