1978 road toll down: blitz given credit

Press, 2 January 1979, Page 4

1978 road toll down: blitz given credit

PA Wellington Fifty-three fewer peopk died on New Zealand roads in 1978 than during 1977. Traffic officials are satis tied with the decrease ant believe the drinking-driving blitz had a lot to do with it according to the Director oi Road Transport (Mr M. W Croy). In 1978 649 people died or the roads, compared wit! 702 ip 1977. “We had aimed to reduct the toll by at least 50,” Mi Croy said. During Christmas (fron December 22 to 29) 17 peopli died. Five were motor cyclists. The last person to die it a road accident in 1978 wai David Holroyd Nankervill aged 13, of Taihape. He died after being throwi from his bicycle when strucl by a car 20km north of Tai hape at 9.45 a.m. on Sun day. He was with a party o’ scouts cycling towards Tai hape. It is believed thai

I another was injured in the ’ accident. I The drinking-driving blitz, ’which began on December 8 and will end on Saturday, ■I was most successful in its II first two weeks, Mr Crov said. Over Christmas as many traffic officers were on duty as for other Christmases, but traffic was much busier. “More people seem to be going away this Christmas. In previous years they were (worried about petrol short- ■ i ages and the recession, but ! they seem to have got over :| that now,” he said. : The change in public attitude to road safety had been : one thing which had helped i cut the road toll. i Other factors had been! , new laws for motor-cycles, speed limits, and bloodi alcohol levels. This year the Ministry of ■ Transport will run similar road-safety campaigns to ! help reduce the toll. ■( The first, which will start ,in late February, is aimed ■at making people more aware :'of road regulations.