TOLL OF THE ROAD

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12902, 1 July 1936, Page 2

TOLL OF THE ROAD

NEEDLESS LOSS OF LIFE

PENDING- LEGISLATION BOROUGH. COUNCIL’S VIEW SOUGHT In continuation of-his campaign for protection to life and limb through carelessness or negligent driving by motorists, the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple forwarded to the Borough Council last evening a copy of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, and 'disked the council to make any suggestions or comments it thought necessary.. - In the course of) his letter the Minister stated that ‘ ‘we cannot- allow the present rate of .fatalities on our roads as the result of motor accidents to continue. The position is- indeed serious. In New Zealand to-day motor, fatalities- are responsible for almost one death a day. Ini the last seven years 1250 people have been killed, and 3500 injured in this way. If all the persons l injured in motor ae.cidentiS in one year were put into hospital at the same tjino they would occupy half the total number of beds in our hospitals. At 'the. present rate motor accidents will cause more casualties in thirteen years than those recorded for the N.Z. Forces in. the Great War. Again, putting it in another way, according to the law of averages, ifi you have four children, one is destined to be killed or injured on our roads. Many of these accidents, are) preVentiblo and 1 am, determined to spans no effort in oil-. deavouring to stop- this needless injury and loss of life.” The Mayor stated that the bill had been shown to the traffic inspector, who had recommended that aged drivers—people who had been tested long ago but were now getting on in years—should bo made to undergo a further test. That action, lie might say. had been decided on in Christchurch, and lie thought the council might value the recommendation sug gested by the inspector. Cr.' Bull suggested that drivers-* tests should include some which would -show how a driver would react in a certain specified time. Cr. IT. Holmes contended that very few accidents arose as the result of carelessness on the part of aged drivers. Such accidents- were usually due to the younger ones. The inspector’s recommendation was approved and it was decided to forward it on to the Minister.