850 Could Die On Roads

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31340, 10 April 1967, Page 1

850 Could Die On Roads

The Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) said yesterday that if the present rate of road deaths continued the total for 1967 could be nearly 850 dead, the Press Association reported.

Mr Gordon said the 156 traffic deaths in the first three months of this year were the highest recorded for the first quarter of any year. “This represents an increase of 54 per cent over the corresponding period last year and if this rate is maintained the total for 1967 will be nearly 850 dead,” he said. A comparison with the corresponding period of 1966 showed that: Fatal collisions between motor vehicles rose from 37 to 44.

Pedestrian deaths increased from 16 to 30. Deaths as a result of hitting power or telephone poles increased from six to 16. Drivers and passengers killed in vehicles had increased from 72 to 103.

A study of the full reports received so far indicated that the vehicle death total could have been considerably less had all the victims been wearing safety’ belts. Some 63 of the accidents occurred during darkness, while 36 per cent occurred between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The week-ends accounted for 57 per cent of the total, which pointed to a lack of care on the part of the weekend driver, he said. The Minister added that unless all road users exercised greater caution and intelligence in the coming winter months, it was certain that the road toll would not be reduced at all. Two Killed

Two men were killed when their car crashed at the Newberry Bridge, near Palmerston North, at 3.55 a.m. yesterday. They were

Craig Clive Sheerin, aged 22, of 103 Wanganui road, Marton, and Russell Gray Dickie, aged 20, of Kilkern road, No. 1 R.D., Bulls. Passenger Died

A 20-year-old Huntly youth was killed early on Saturday when the car in which he was a passenger crashed off a road near the Ruakura Research Centre, several miles east of Hamilton. He was

William Melville Capper, of 61 Harris street, Huntly. Car Hit Pole

A youth was killed when a car struck a power pole near the corner of Great South road and Adam street, Green lane, about 1.45 a.m. yesterday. He was Noble Otene, aged 19, single, a tyre fitter, of 54 Cobham crescent. Otara. Hit-And-Run Death

A woman was killed when she was hit by a car which failed to stop at the corner of Great North road and Premier avenue, Point Chevalier, at 9 p.m. yesterday. Late last night the woman had not been identified and the police were questioning a young man about the accident. Child In Collision A 10-year-old girl died after her bicycle collided with a car driven by her father at Tokoiti, near Milton, on Saturday afternoon. She was Jeanette Mary Cochrane, younger daughter of Mr and Mrs D. R. Cochrane, of “Braeside,” Tokoiti,