The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1965. Holidays, With Care

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30941, 23 December 1965, Page 12

The Press THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1965. Holidays, With Care

The December-January holiday period is a sad anniversary this year in about 80 New Zealand households —those bereaved by the toll of the roads a year ago. In all probability, a similar number will lose their lives on the roads during these holidays; but there is no statistical inevitability in this. Nearly every one of last year’s fatal accidents could have been avoided with a little more care, skill, or forethought. Speed is the main killer—speed which is excessive in the circumstances. Too many drivers relax their attention after reducing speed for a built-up area or for a winding stretch of road. Impatience, specially in young drivers, leads to excessive speeds. Road users this Christmas must expect to find more cars on the road than ever before; a four-hour journey last year may take four hours and a half this year. The growing congestion demands higher standards of care and courtesy. Drivers towing trailers and caravans must watch for following traffic, and give it the first opportunity of overtaking. “If you drink, “ don’t drive ” makes sense. Too many drivers relax their vigilance against alcohol during their holidays—the very time when extra vigilance is needed. Genial hosts mistake their duty in pressing “ one for the “ road ” on departing guests.

The roads are not the only sources of holiday danger, though they are the main ones. Deaths by drowning are second on this lugubrious list. Bathers at popular beaches are under the constant surveillance of surf patrols. This knowledge is a comfort to the parents who patronise these resorts; but it does not absolve them from responsibility. Small children, even (perhaps particularly) those who can swim, must never be left unattended near water. Families venturing bej’ond familiar and supervised swimming-places need to be specially careful of tides, rips, snags, and deep holes. Boat owners, more numerous than ever, include many novices. They should approach their new pastime sensibly, aiming at safety while they acquire seamanship. For all boat owners, the cardinal rule is to don safe jackets before leaving the shore. As yet a minor cause of accidents, the use of gas stoves and camping appliances is a source of danger unrecognised by many boaters and campers. Rock gas is heavier than air: a leaking canister lying in the bottom of a dinghy or in a tent may not be detected until a match is lit and the gas explodes.

Mountaineers, trampers, and deerstalkers face more hazards than most other holidaymakers: yet many pursue these interests to the end of their active days without endangering themselves or anyone else. The inexperienced person in the mountains, bush, or back country should remember that an accident in remote regions will cause inconvenience and perhaps danger to the rescue party. Holidaymakers seek relaxation, merriment, isolation, or adventure, according to their tastes. They can enjoy any of these, at the proper time and place: to be carefree is not the same as being careless.