TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1939, Page 2

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

HEAVY TOLL LAST YEAR.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, July 14.

The final traffic accident figures for the year ended March 31 were announced by the Minister for Transport (Mr. Semple) to-day. During the 12 months under review 216 persons were killed and 5635 injured on the roads, bringing the total for the last five years to more than 1000 killed and approximately 20,000 injured.

‘‘The death-rate a. million gallons of petrol consumed has dropped steadily from 3.19 in 1935 to 2.69 in 1939,” said Mr. Semple. “Similarly the number of deaths a 10,000 motor vehicles has decreased from 9.63 in 1935 to 8.85 in 1939. As far as is known. New Zealand still has the lowest death-rate a 10.000 vehicles of any country in. llm world.”

. During the year fatal accidents on rural roads patrolled by the Transport Department staff were reduced by 14 per cent. The whole of this reduction was effected in fatalities occurring in daylight, the number happening after dark actually increasing by one. Fatal accidents in built-up areas showed no reduction. In a number of districts the increase was very serious, 1 Mr. Semple said. The average increase in fatal accidents over all built-up areas was 18£ per cent;

“The most marked variation from the previous year in the type of accident,” said the Minister, “is the increase of 10, or roughly 60 per cent., in the number of non-collisions occurring at night. These consisted mainly of cases where motor vehicles crashed off the roadway or skidded and overturned.”

The death roll during the year included 56 pedestrians, 33, bicyclists, 37 motor-cyclists or pillion-riders, and 115 drivers or passengers. There'were <Bl fatal accidents in which only r one motor vehicle was concerned and 40 fatal collisions between motor vehicles. Level crossings claimed one life each month.