ROAD SAFETY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 121, 25 May 1939, Page 14

ROAD SAFETY

ANOTHER WARNING

THOSE OVER FIFTY

SPECIAL CARE URGED

A warning to pedestrians, and especially those over 50, to take special care in traffic during the next three months, was issued by the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) today. ■ "From the figures last year and the accidents so far this month, unless ! special care is taken on the roads, the ! accident rate to pedestrians Is likely to be exceedingly serious during the | next three months," said Mr. Semple. "Three pedestrians were injured every day during the winter months of last | year. In addition one pedestrian was killed every second day during July and every third day during June, July, | and August. Although there were more pedestrians at home at night during these months, the death-ratt_ was nearly three times as high as during the other nine months of the year. More than half of the fatalities occurred at night, the majority of them when it was raining.

"Night accidents were twice as severe as daylight accidents. Pedestrians were slow to realise that it was much safer when walking on the roadway to face oncoming traffic and at night to indicate their presence by a lamp or light-coloured clothing.

"Saturday evening was easily the worst period of the week, twice as many pedestrians being killed in the three hours following 5.30 p.m. as during the average 24-hour period for the whole week. An analysis of the accident reports shows that more than two-thirds of the cases of injury and death could have been avoided if the pedestrian had hesitated a moment to look for traffic. I am confident that a big improvement can be made this winter if we all like to take the simple precaution—look out before you step out.

"Elderly people in particular should be very cautious during the coming winter months," said the Minister. "There are more persons alive in the under-40 than in £he over-40 group, yet the figures show that four times as many, in the over?4o group die as a result of pedestrian accidents than in the under-40 group. The number of elderly pedestrians who did not survive the shock of being knocked down, last winter, is extraordinary. The average age of halfrof the pedestrians killed during the winter was 72 years. Those who are now elderly were not brought up in the era of motor-cars; their eyesight is not as good, especially at night time when so many accidents occur. Their hearing has lost some of its keenness and they are more susceptible to the fatal effects of shock. When they have lost their former agility and alertness the only way for them to ensure their safety on the roads is to take greater care."

Mr. Semple appealed to motorists driving on rural roads to take particular care when passing, school buses. Cases had recently been brought to his notice of children being knocked down by motor-cars after they had alighted from the school bus. Safety instruction was inclined to be forgotten by children after they had been set down. The responsibility was therefore with motorists whenever they approached a stationary school bus to foresee the danger' of children running . across the road and to slow dow;n or stop.