ROAD VICTIMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22933, 11 January 1938, Page 10

ROAD VICTIMS

HOLIDAY CASUALTIES

RECORD MOTOR TRAFFIO

MORE KILLED, FEWER INJURED

In a review of holiday traffic, with special reference to road accidents during tho season just past, the Minister of Transport, the Hon. It. Semple, said the volume of traffic had exceeded tho very generous estimates formed beforehand. Reports from many parts of the Dominion indicated that all past records had been exceeded.

"In spite of this," said the Minister, " there were apparently fewer persons injured in traffic accidents these holidays than during the corresponding 1936-1937 period. Ninoty-six persons reported in the press, as having been injured on the roads between Christmas Eve, 1937, and January 3, 1938, compared with 105 cases reported 12 months ago. There wore many more fatalities —practically all off the pajrolled trunk roads —during the recent holidays, however, 17 being killed, as compared with nine in the 1936-1937 holiday period. Increased power and greater speeds were responsible for very many of tlieso fatalities." Danger on Side Roads

The Minister said that there had been relatively few accidents on the trunk roads which carried the greater volume of traffic. Only three fatalities out of a total of 17 occurred on such roads, and two of these were accidents through misadventure, rather than recklessness or lack of road courtesy.

Traffic officers reported a very considerable improvement in the standard of driving on main highways during the holidays. The Minister was sorry to say, however, that motorists did not continue to exercise the same degree of care, having regard to all the circumstances, when they left the main highway. This year there were 14 fatalities in the urban areas and on country roads, compared with three on main highways. Off the trunk roads far too many motorists drove at excessive speeds and in an irresponsible manner, especially on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. As many people were killed between 1.20 a.m. and 2.15 a.m. on Christmas morning and between midnight and 12.45 a.m. on New Year's morning, a space of 100 minutes, as were killed during the whole of the month of November last year. Indulgence in Liquor

"Far too many of the accidents reported record excessive indulgence in liquor, not only by drivcra. but also by pedestrians and cyclists, ' said Mr. Semple. " Drunken pedestrians stagger about the roads at their own risk on Christmas Eve. The driver of a motorcar, however, has a. responsibility to others. Intoxicated drivers will have to realise that, whatever the occasion, they will get no quarter, and that every fneans will bo adopted of putting them off the roads. " I would like to thank tho great majority of road users for minimising road dangers during what was the most difficult traffic period in New Zealand's history," concluded Mr. Semple. If we can look forward to the same improvement on secondary roads as was evident on main highways, New Zealand will have a proud record for road safety during 1938."