ROAD ACCIDENTS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1937, Page 3

ROAD ACCIDENTS

FOR MONTH OF JULY.

(Per Press •.Association —Copyright)

WELLINGTON, August 12

The figures - relating to road? accidents reported during July were, issued Joday by the lion li. G; R. Mason who is acting for the Minister of. Transport. The statistics are set .out in a series of tables. The total number of ac.idents recorded during the month was £133, resulting in the following casualty list:— . Fatally injured 23 persons. Seriously injured 71 persons. Slightly injured 320 persons. “During the past eleven months o.i more/ ! ,stated .thf Minister,.. “the Government has striven to make the public realise the seriousness of the road accident rate, and the simple elementary rules of the road which must be observed by motorist, cyclist and pedestrian alike before these accidents can be eliminated.. . Attention liasi been drawn to the problem per medium -of the. newspapers and the radio, and a Road Code.,.has been prepared and is now being distributed setting out the essential rules in simple language. “Despite all this, publicity” continued Mr Mason, “accidents which are quite avoidable are continuing to occur at an alarming rate, , As I announced last week, special attention will henceforth be paid by . the .police and traffic authorities to educating and control.ing pedestrian aiid bicycle traffic in order that a miic.li better observance of safety precautions may result, The main rules laid down for these two classes of traffic were lgentioped in my earlier statement and l! would now reiterate the equally straightforward and commonsense rules which should be pb.served by every motorist. The most important of.these are f :—(l) Keep to the left. (2) Give way to traffic having the right of way. , (3) Drive; at. a safe and reasonable speed. (4) Dp.not cut corners;. (5) Overtake only when there is ample clear road, ahead; do? not, attempt,, I to overtake at intersections,, -.or corners. (6) »Signal when intending to stop .or to turn to the, right. ( p(7) .Do not cut

in. . ... “These rules, are still? not being observed by a considerable section of drivers as is evidenced by, the number of times their neglect appears as the cause of accidents, and t they ,ni,ust be rigidly observed by . all if the present toll of accidents is to be material;ly reduced.” \