DEATH ON THE ROADS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 14 June 1939, Page 3

DEATH ON THE ROADS

MR SEMITES CAMPAIGN CONTINUES Anyone with a less resilient nature j than the Minister of Transport, Mr ■ Semple. Would probably lose heart at the manner in which the toll of human ; life through traffic accidents defies his', campaign for road safety (states the ‘New Zealand Herald”'. During the year ended 31st March last there was . some improvement in the position, demonstrated by a reduction in the number of fatalities in spite of an increase : of more than 26.000 in the number of 1 vehicles on the road. Since then there has been a tragic deterioration, and during the last eight weeks deaths from traffic accidents have averaged one a day. In a community which defends in \ its laws and in its customs the sacred- , ness ot human life, it seems incredible that such a state of affairs should exist A country which pioneered a world i movement for saving infant life has j grown too careless to prevent this wan- j ton slaughter on the roads. Mr Semple. ! however, has not lost heart. He is pur- j suing with all his accustomed vigour I his campaign against the drunken ! driver, in whose defence not a word I can be said, and he is preparing to re- i double . his efforts against an even! greater menace—the driver who fails j to keep his road sense constantly up j to the mark, who relaxes caution, dis- . regards elementary rules of safety and causes disaster. Any steps that Mr! Semple takes to promote the all-round efficiency of New Zealand’s army of motorists must receive ungrudging support. Mechanical defects may cause a proportion of accidents; drunkenness on the part of a flagitious few may cause more: but the most prolific cause of all springs from the distressingly •ommon fault of carelessness. Motorists must be (ducatcd to drive safely, and they themselves should be the first io insist that in tests of their proficiency Mr Semple’s standards should be ■ set high.