APPEAL FOR CARE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 77, 23 December 1939, Page 9

APPEAL FOR CARE

Minister’s Statement On Holiday Motoring SAFETY AND ECONOMY A special appeal for care on the roads during the Christinas holidays was issued by the Minister of Transport. .Mr. Semple, yesterday. He stated that during the recent Christinas periods an average of 20 people ■ had been killed and 350 injured in motor accidents. Last year rhe figures were 15 killed and 340 injured. During the next 10 (lays traffic wtr.s expected to be the heaviest ever recorded in New Zealand. Lirst Christinas 15 persons were killed and 340 injured on the roads. Unless much greater care was taken this Christmas the accident toll would be very much greater than ever before. ‘•This is particularly serious at the present time because of the special circumstances in which our country is placed,” stated .Mr. Semple. “Just as Ute traffic risks are greater than ever before, so is the need for accident prevention. The strength and endurance of the Dominion is now 'being tested in the grim business of war. The necessity for conservation of man-power and wealth is vital. This war is to be fought on the home fronts as well as the battle front. Every life lost, every person incapacitated, means one individual less for the defence of our country. The present conflict is a war of resources as much as a war of arms. Every pound spent on repairing damaged vehicles means one pound not’ available for production. For these reasons, apart altogether from questions of moral obligations, it is essential to avoid, accidents (luring the holidays.” The very best-way to start doing this ■was to keep down speed. Statistics showed that the majority of accidents were caused by excessive speed. Furthermore, when an accident did occur at a high speed the chances of its being fatal were tremendously increased. In addition, by avoiding speed the motorist would not only be defending himself and others against injury but would be assisting in the defence of his country and Empire by conserving petrol. If motorists only understood how much petrol consumption increased with speed they would realize the extent of the economy which could be effected by travelling more reasonably and more safely. For instance, the average car travelling at more than GO miles an hour did only half the mileage per gallon of a vehicle travelling at 30 miles per hour. So he asked motorists to remember, for tire sake of safety and for the sake of economy to keep down their speed. They should not attempt to save seconds on the road but hurry before they started. “Excessive speed, of course, was not the only risk involved in holiday travel. Motorists should avoid recklessness of all shapes and forms and remember, too, that courtesy on the roads was a basic safety rule. New Zealand, he was happy to say, had the lowest accident rate per 10,000 vehicles of any country in the world. This, however, did not mean that the position here could not be greatly improved. It was up to the public to do everything possible to improve it. Diiring the next few weeks thousands <?f New Zealanders would be on the roads visiting friends and relatives or seeking the health and fitness that the outdoors could give. Let their hopes be not frustrated but all decide for the sake of themselves and others to make holiday motoring courteous and safe.