MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 77, 24 December 1925, Page 7

MOTORS & MOTORING

MOTOR FATALITIES NEW ZEALAND’S RATE AS HIGH AS AMERICA’S. America’s motor death roll, not including level-crossing accidents, was stated m a cable message a lew days ago to have totalled 15,528 during 19’21. As there were 17,600,000 motor vehicles on tlie road in the United States at the end of 1021, this works out at 38 fatalities to every 100,000 motor vehicles.

New Zealand's motor death roll ill 1924 ■ was 94, not including level-cross->ng accidents. Exactly what the number o r motor x chicles was on the road last year in this country is not known, as statistics were not collected until after the New Year, and were not complete until some months later. Ihe figure, however, was not over the 100,000 mark, and it is thus apparent that our motor deatli rate was last year higher than in America in proportion to the number of vehicles on the road. These figures provide food for reflection, for it has to be remembered that the traffic-density on our roads is very much less than in the United States. An interesting point revealed in the American statistics is that the death rate per 100,000 vehicles is falling steadily as the total number of vehicles in use increases. That is to say. that in 1917 when there were 5,000,000 motor vehicles on the American roads there were 178 deaths per 100.000 vehicles, whereas last year with 17,600,000 motor vehicles the rate had fallen to 88. It has also to be remembered that a third of the motor vehicles in the United States arc operated in States where the open country speed limit is 35 miles per hour, that half are operated in States where the limit is 30 miles per hour, and that the remaining one-sixth are in States where the speed limit is below 30 miles per hour. New Zealand’s death roll from accidents in 19'21 was 632. Of this total the deaths by drowning numbered 169, and next in order came the 9-1 motor fatalities. The motor death rate calls - for a careful and systematic analysis of the causes of the accidents with a view to the s’onijv elimination of all that are preventable. It is by persistent work In this direction that the deatli rate in America is being kept down.