TOLL OF THE MOTOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 8

TOLL OF THE MOTOR.

LESS SEVERE IN AUCKLAND, DEATHS TOTAL 21 THIS YEAR. VICTIMS MOSTLY PEDESTRIANS. Motor vehicle accidents in 'Auckland during 1927 accounted for 21 deaths, a decrease of nearly 60 per cent, on the toll taken last year. In theory an increase might have been expected, since the mean number of vehicles in regular use in the city and suburbs was about 2000 above the aggregate for 1926. It is difficult to find a reason for the improvement. There has been no suggestion of a national improvement in the standard of driving, and it is too soon to say whether attempts to regulate the pedestrian have borne fruit. The police have ceased to compile accident statistics, so that no traffic survey reveals why the fatality rate has fallen so substantially. Some say that the improved flood lighting of Auckland's streets is giving both the pedestrian and the motorist a better chance. Another argument is that the attention which has been drawn to the distressing fatality rate of last year has made an unconscious impression on all users of the road. However, there is the fact that accidents in which no death was involved have actually inoreased during 1927. The bald fact that there were 22 deaths in 1925, 41 in 1926, and only 21 in 1927, remains without a convincing explanation. Following are details of the motor vehicle fatalities in the city and suburbs during the two years:—

From the evidence at the inquests it was obvious that few of the accidents could be said to bo due to a combination of circumstances for which neither party could be blamed. In most cases some simple caution was overlooked by either the driver of the vehicle or the victim. Although traffic is considerably lighter at night 10 of the deaths resulted after dusk, so that it could hardly be said that the hazards were evenly divided. Of the 21 victims 13 were pedestrians. The remaining eight deaths concerned two young boys who collided with motor vehicles while on cycles, three motorcyclists who collided with other motor vehicles, one motor-cyclist who was fatally injured in a fall, a driver of motor-car which collided with a tram, and a child who fell from a lorry. A sad feature of the deaths involving pedestrians was that three children were killed while playing in the street. This directs attention to the suggestion that instruction in street dangers should be given in the schools. There was one case of a "hit-and-run" motorist who was not brought to book. An elderly man was knocked down by a rpotor-car in a city street, but, after slowing up, the driver continued and made his escape. In addition to the 21 motor* fatalities there were six other traffic deaths in Auckland during the year. Two of the victims were tram conductors who fell from the platforms, two and a man were killed at railway crossings, and one man was fatally injured by a truck on a railway siding.

1927. 1926 J anuary . « .« 2 <1 February .. 1 » March .. 2 IS April .. 3 8 May . • .. 2 4, June .. .. 1 4\ July .. a s; August ., 3 2 September .. 2 3 October . * • • — t 5 November .. .. 1 3 December .« 1 3 21 41