N.Z. road toll ‘not all bad hews’

Press, 3 February 1982, Page 10

N.Z. road toll ‘not all bad hews’

PA Wellington New Zealand’s road accident record is “not all bad news,” said the Minister of Transport (Mr Gair) yesterday. In a summary of road toll statistics for the recent holiday period, Mr Gair said figures showed that the number of registered motorvehicles has increased by 125.7 per cent since 1962. During the last 20 years accidents have remained about the same level, compared with the increase in motor-vehicle registrations,road deaths having increased by only 50 per cent, the Minister said. Statistics show the trend in both the number of injury

accidents and people injured peaked in 1973. In that year 15,571 accidents injured 23,385 people, while in 1980, the last year for which statistics are available, 9442 accidents hurt 13,983 people. Mr Gair said that the 198182 Christmas-New Year holiday statistics showed that excessive speed and drink-ing-driving are still the two areas which require further concentrated effort if the road toll is to be brought down.

“Despite the excellent efforts of Ministry of Transport officers in stopping 12,378 cars during the blitz campaign, it is distressing to see alcohol still figuring highly as a contributing

cause in fatal accidents,” he said. Fifteen of the 33 road fatalities over the holiday period involved males between the ages of 18 and 24 and excessive speed was the main contributing factor in fatal accidents. Of the remaining 18 fatalities seven were females between the ages of 18 and 24, four were children up to five years, two adults between 25 and 29, three adults between 30 and 39, and two adults who were over 60.

The majority of people killed were drivers. Fourteen were car drivers, four motorcyclists, 12 passengers and three pedestrians dying between December 24, 1981, and January 5, 1982. , t Of the 26 accident reports ; received by Mr Gair to date, I 17 showed excessive speed as the main. contributing factor while alcohol was thought to be the major contributing factor in nine fatal accidents. Mr Gair said that this year’s holiday road toll of 33 compared with that of 32 in 1980-81.