TOLL OF THE ROAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 192, 15 July 1939, Page 11

TOLL OF THE ROAD.

TRAGEDIES DURING YEAR. I-A1 PR 0 A’E AJ EXT NOT El.). Per Press Association. AVELLINGTON, July It. The final traffic accident figures for the year ended Alarch 31 were announced hv the Alinister of Transport (HOll. R. Semple), to-day. During the 12 months under review 246 persons were killed and 5635 injured on the roads, bringing the total for the past five years to more than 1000 killed and approximately 20.000 injured. “The death rate per million gallons of petrol consumed lias dropped steadily from 3.19 in 1935 to 2.69 in 1939,” said Air Semple. “Similarly, the number of deaths per 10,000 motor vehicles has decreased from 9.63 in 1935 to 8.85 in 1939. As far a.s is known New Zealand still has the lowest dentil rate per 10,000 vehicles of any country in the world. “During the year fatal accidents on rural roads patrolled by the Transport Department were reduced by 1.4 per cent. The whole of this reduction was effected ill fatalities occurring in daylight. The number happening after dark actually increased by one.” Fatal accidents in built-up areas showed no reduction, and in a number of districts the increase was very serious. Air Semple said. The average increase in fatal afeidents over all built-up areas was 184 per cent. “The most marked variation from the previous year in the typo of accident,” said the Alinister. “is the increase of 10. or roughly 60 per cent., in the number of 11011-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. They were 31 fatal accidents in which onlv 011 c motor-vehicle was concerned, and 40 fatal collisions between motor-vehicles. Level crossings claimed one life each month.