THE PRESS MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1988. The most deadly drivers

Press, 7 March 1988, Page 12

THE PRESS MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1988. The most deadly drivers

It rias become official news and ;news of world-wide circulation: New Zealanders are more inclined than anyone' else to killing themselves and each other on the roads.. The World Health Organisation’s annual report attributes to New Zealand a rate of road fatalities equivalent to more than 45 people killed each year for every 200,000 in the population. i f This is markedly worse than the figures in the countries closest to New Zealand on the; W.H.O. list — Yugoslavia (39.1 road fatalities, per 200,000), and Austria and tjie United States (38.7 deaths each). It is more than twice the figure recorded in such countries as the Netherlands, England and Wales, and Sweden. In the road carnage stakes, New Zealand is in front. , j I The protestations of the Minister jof Transport, Mr Jeffries, that the W.H.O.’s method of measurement is unfair to New Zealand provide no comfort. Mr Jeffries contends that relating road fatalities Ito population takes no account of New Zealand’s high level of vehicle ownership. Perhaps not, but this is rather like saying that statistics on lung are invalid because the population includes a lot of smokers, i i : ;j Nq matter which standard of measurement Mr Jeffries finds more “relevant” — population, car ownership, kilometres travelled — the quibble d.loes not reduce the road toll one jot; it Remains dreadful. Even if car ownership is fairly high in this country, the density of traffic, ithe quality of roads,, the standard of [vehicle maintenance and other factors that might explain a bad record do not favour fllew Zealand performance. The plain explanation is that driving standards in this country are low. 1 .J

The unflattering record is no surprise. Reminders of the road toll and of thie tragic waste' that it signifies are never far away. Week-end after black week-end brings its quota of death and injury. The nuijnber of people killed, shameful enough as it is, is only a fraction of the cost of abysmal' driving habits,. For each fatality there are ’a great many more injuries. By whichever measure, the price is high; it is also i largely avoidable. Many elements have a bearing bn road accidents. Excessive speed, alcohol-impaired drivers, weather, road engineering, iand yehicle maintenance are a few facttars that spring instantly to mind. None of ’them is sufficient in itself or in combination to

explain why New Zealand’s record is so much worse i than others. Highway patrols land traffic enforcement officers around the world can attest to the universality of speedsters and the drunks behind the wheel. New Zealand has no monopoly on them. Motorists everywhere have to contend with I variable climatic and background influences, too. New .Zealand’s weather is neither so extreme 1 nor

so singular as to provide i a satisfactory explanation for the poorer performance on the roads. ' In road engineering New Zealand might lag al little behind some countries, but is by no means behind all of those who manage to keep) more of their road users alive. By and large,.v New Zealand roads > are good. Improvements such as the planned installation of catseye reflectors on all State highways used by more than 3000 vehicles daily will help to reduce accidents at night time) and open road head-on .collisions. Improvements like this always can (be made, though the cost can be high for little real reduction in the road toll.

The condition of many, vehicles on the road leaves a lot to be desired. Occasional blitzes on warrants of fitness have shown that some New Zealand motorists are dangerously casual about having their cars tested and are even more negligent about keeping itheir cars in warrantable condition. These deficiencies do not explain the New Zealand record. The vehicle fleet over all is becoming progressively more modern and more protective of its occupants. Better braking, better handling, and better preservation of people-space in the event of a crash should mean a reduction in the rate of road deaths. This is not happening. . ' 'The blame for road accidents, in New Zealand and elsewhere, can be sheeted home to one principal cause: bad driving, Excessive speed, drunken driving, driving without due regard for the weather or for conditions on the! roads, discourtesy and aggressive driving all !stem from the shortcomings of individual drivers. The straightforward explanation for New Zealand’s disastrous performance is that New Zealand drivers are worse Ithan those with whom they are being compared. : j The simplest, regulations for road use are flouted constantly; courtesies and conventions that make everyone’s driving easier and safer seem to be a thing of the past. Even keeping to Ithe left and signalling intentions — the most fundamental rules of the road — are top often not observed. Many drivers from abroad are amazed at the recklessness and competitive spirit in much driving here and lat |the lack of courtesy that could facilitate •the smoother flow of traffic. I I I The new, tougher testing of applicants for driving 'licences may improve the average New Zealand driver’s skills and knowledge of road rules after a decade or so; but this might not be enough in itself to reduce the road toll appreciably. The real change will have to come in the average driver’s attitude towards driving and towards other road users. This is a bigger challenge than simply ensuring that prospective drivers are familiar with the rules that bind them; but it is one that will have to be met if New Zealand is to pass on its unenviable celebrity! as home to the most deadly drivers in the world.