“TRAGIC ROAD TOLL” Harder Penalties Says Minister

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31563, 28 December 1967, Page 1

“TRAGIC ROAD TOLL” Harder Penalties Says Minister

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 27. The latest road toll figures were described at “tragic and bitterly disappointing” by the Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) tonight. He said in a telephone interview from his Heriot farm that his department would stiffen the penalties for driving offences in the New Year.

The department has called on drivers to keep their speed down if the year’s road toll is to be checked.

Till 8 o’clock tonight, the toll for the holiday period stood at 10 dead — one more than last year—with nearly five days of the period to go.

So far this year 561 people have been killed on the roads two more than the previous worst year, 1965, when 559 died.

Mr Gordon said early in the year that a record toll looked likely and the department stepped up the campaign to contain it.

“Up till six weeks ago we thought we might be able to avoid another record, but bad weather and careless driving over Christmas ruined our efforts.

“I think the latest figures are tragic. I am bitterly disappointed with them,” he said. Four persons were killed and 62 injured on Auckland district roads between Wells-

ford and Mercer in the fourday Christmas break, compared with 40 injured, none fatally, for the corresponding period last year. Car Rolled

The 19-year-old youth killed when his car rolled in a Waikanae road late last evening was

Terrence Raymond Stewart, of White’s Line, Lower Hutt.

Today police were unable to name a young woman, a passenger in the car, who was taken to Palmerston North Hospital. Two other young women passengers, one a sister of the dead youth, were unhurt. They were all on holiday at Waikanae.

Woman Named The woman fatally injured in a four-car collision 11 miles north of Turangi on Tuesday was

Mrs Thelma Muriel O’Neill, aged about 50, of Highbury Terrace, Levin.

Speed And Belts

The Assistant Commissioner of Transport (Mr A. J. Edwards) tonight said that if the toll was to be contained drivers must exercise great control of their speeds and ensure that seat belts were used. “Traffic behaviour has been fairly good but there have been too many cases of dangerous overtaking.” He said that the department’s chief traffic officers had reported that motorists seemed to be aware of the need for extreme care but there were still cases of reckless and dangerous behaviour.

One example was a caravan, being towed at 60 m.p.h. swaying all over the road and endangering oncoming traffic.

Another case concerned a youth holding his surf board on a roof rack by hand while travelling at speed. “The board eventually blew off and hit a following car,” said Mr Edwards.

The department’s traffic officers have already issued 4958 tickets and given written or verbal warnings to nearly 5000 other persons. Thirty - three suspected drunken drivers have been arrested and another 147 drivers have had their keys taken.