ACCIDENT TOLL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 28

ACCIDENT TOLL

GERMAN MEASURES

DEFLATION OF TYRES

A series of new measures to combat the toll of deaths and injuries on German roads was announced recently by General Daluege, chief of the uniformed police, writes the Berlin correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph."

The first of the new measures is the introduction of the English system of "Halt at major road ahead" signals.

General Daluege stated that in 1936 there had been 267,000 accidents on German roads at a time when there had been approximately 2,475,000 motor vehicles in use. In the following year there had been 375,000 more motor vehicles on the roads, but the number of accidents had fallen by about 1000.

In 1938 there had been a further increase in the number of vehicles, making a total of 3,242,000, but the num-

ber of accidents had kept below that of 1936.

Nevertheless the fact remained that every year approximately 8000 people were killed and 175,000 injured on German roads. The fact that the number of deaths was decreasing by about 800 annually was comparatively unimportant beside the appallingly large gross figures. It had been calculated, General Daluege continued, that in 75 per cent, of accident cases the drivers of motor vehicles were the guilty parties. Cyclists accounted for 9 per cent., and pedestrians, including children, for only 8 per cent. The chief faults of drivers were failure to accord right of way on major road crossings, incorrect overtaking, excessive speed, and incorrect turning into side streets.

A large number of "Halt at major road ahead" signs were to be erected in the near future to make sure that drivers accorded the right of way at crossings. Vehicles would have to stop entirely at these signs and only proceed when the primary road was quite clear. Measures to combat other aspects of faulty driving were in preparation.

New powers were to be given to police officers on traffic duty. Besides being able, as hitherto, to impose an immediate fine in tile case of minor breaches of the traffic regulations, they were in future to be empowered to deflate the tyres of offending motorists. •

"This," said General Daluege, "will be a punishment noticeable also by the rich, who will have an opportunity, as they pump up their tyres again, to meditate on their irregular behaviour."

Police officers would be obliged, even when in civilian clothes and off duty, to take immediate steps should they. observe breaches of the rules of the road.- This was not intended., as a kind of "espionage" on the public, ,but was a powerful effort to do everything possible, to deal with the terrible accident figures.