ROAD FATALITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21493, 17 May 1933, Page 12

ROAD FATALITIES

BRITAIN'S HEAVY TOLL

EXAMINATION OF 'CAUSES

LOXDOX, May 9

The carelessness or stupidity of either drivers or pedestrians is responsible for nearly all road deaths, according to the Safety First Association's remarkable analysis of 3129 fatalities in Britain during the second half of 1932. Half the-victims were pedestrians, a-quarter motor-cyclists, and a-sixth cyclists. The daily death rate averaged 17. Saturday had tho worst average, of 23, compared with Friday's 18. On Christmas Eve 36 jvere killed. The most dangerous'' hours were between 5 and 6 p.m. and 10 and 11 p.m.

The chief faults of drivers were failure to keep near the side of the road, failure to adjust speed to circumstances, inattention to cutting out and neglect to sound the horn.

Tho principal faults of pedestrians ■were stepping from the footpath unexpectedly and emerging suddenly from the rear and front of stationary vehicles.

Children's deaths were most frequently due to them suddenly running ' across the road. Women drivers are largely absolved from the charge of recklessness, as their errors contributed onlv 4.65 of the fatalities. -

The secretary of the association, Colonel Pickard, urges that the solution of the problem lies in the improvement of, the human element. He adds that motor-cyclists kill themselves and must be trained how to use their machines. 1

The British Medical Association is considering the promotion of a bill to enable doctors to be paid for first-aid treatment in road accidents, of which there are 200,000 a year.

At present they are paid in only one out of five cases.