550 Traffic Patrols
(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 22. Traffic officers will be patrolling New Zealand’s roads in force during the Christmas holiday period. Nearly 550 uniformed and plain-clothes officers will be on duty during this time, according to the administration officer of the Transport Department, Mr F. J. Quirke. The patrols will include 65
school traffic instructors and 40 auxiliary officers. The Christmas holiday period begins officially for the Transport Department at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 23, and ends at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3. Nineteen persons were killed in road accidents and 557 injured during this period last year. Twenty-two intoxicated drivers were arrested, 187 drivers who had been drinking had their keys taken, and more than 6000 trafficoffence tickets were issued.
The main causes of many accidents last Christmas were failing to give way, excessive speed, risky overtaking and inattention, said Mr Quirke.
The most dangerous periods were Christmas Day and New Year’s Day mornings. As a safety measure, traffic officers are making checks on vehicles.
Last year several thousand vehicles were tested. The most common faults were lights, brakes, steering and unsafe tyres.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31224, 23 November 1966, Page 1
Word Count
189550 Traffic Patrols Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31224, 23 November 1966, Page 1
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