ROAD ACCIDENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 15

ROAD ACCIDENTS

STATISTICS FOE YEAR MINISTER'S ANALYSIS FATALITIES IN BUILT-UP AREAS [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION"] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday Interesting figures relating to fatal road accidents during the year ended March 31 were released by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. 11. Semple, today. "I have been criticised for building speedways," said" Mr. Semple. "New highways have been called, death-traps, and it has been said that as I have improved roads cars would go faster and the death roll would inevitably increase.

"During the last 12 months, however, 20,000 more motor vehicles have come on to the road, and fatal accidents in cities, boroughs and built-up areas have grown by 17.4 per cent, but fatalities on highways outside of builtup areas and on rural roads have been reduced by 14 per cent, a very gratifying improvement. Although daylight fatalities in built-up areas increased by 51.5 per cent, daylight fatalities on highways decreased by 23.8 per cent." More Night Driving

Mr. Semple said that reports indicated that night driving was becoming more and more common, and night traffic on State highways might bo expected to increase substantially during the next 12 months.

The presence of more motor vehicles on country roads at night time is also indicated in fatal accident figures relating to cyclists. Although daylight cycle fatalities were reduced by 10 per cent, fatal accidents to cyclists after dark were 23.1 per cent higher. Off-the-road fatalities, and especially those at night time, were increasing, and were now twice as frequent as fatal collisions between motor vehicles, said the Minister. The figures clearly indicated that numbers of motorists were approaching corners too fast. Pedestrian Accidents The only classes of road users whoso accident rates had not shown improvements were motor-cyclists and tho occupants of motor vehicles, said Mr. Semple. The pedestrian fatal accident rate had decreased by 5.1 per cent, but it was still far too high. People did not realise that many more persons lost their lives in pedestrian accidents than were killed in collisions between motor vehicles. Two pedestrians lost their lives every week last winter, partly because of the effects of shock. The fatality rate to elderly men and women was especially high. A large number of those killed had been struck from behind on country roads. Pedestrians at night should wear light clothing, and unless there were steep banks on the right-hand side tliey should walk on that side, facing the traffic.