HIGHER ROAD TOLL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 11, 14 January 1941, Page 6

HIGHER ROAD TOLL

In the holiday season just over, between December 23 and January 8, the number of fatal road accidents was higher than for several years at the same period. This year seventeen persons were killed, compared with nine last year. Most people, with the Minister of Transport (Mr. Semple) himself, expected that the severe petrol restrictions would reduce road traffic and consequently make for greater safety and fewer accidents. There cannot have been nearly as many cars on the road as in normal holiday times, yet the accident rate has almost doubled. The Minister, in his preliminary comment, considers that the lessened risks resulting from the smaller volume of traffic were offset by "an evident increase in carelessness and in some cases by almost incomprehensible disregard for the elementary rules of safety." Until the circumstances of the accidents that occurred are examined in detail, it would hardly be safe to lay down definite conclusions. We are inclined to believe, as we stated in an earlier comment, that the petrol restrictions have resulted in a decline in the use of cars prior to the holijday season in order to save up coupons for holiday trips, and that this disuse of cars has led to a certain loss of skill in driving, probably accentuated by over-weariness at the wheel. It would interest the public to know the opinion of experts when they come to analyse the accidents these holidays.