ROAD FATALITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 10

ROAD FATALITIES

The tale of road fatalities during the Easter holiday season has moved the Minister of Transport to describe the period as nothing short of disastrous. Mr. Semple's figures, which are presumably from the official .records, show 14 deaths from accidents on the road this year compared with 11 during the Easter season last year. The increase is bad enough in itself, but when it follows a Christmas holiday period which showed the smallest list of'deaths on the road for 18 years, it becomes all that the Minister calls it. In the Christmas holidays there were nine deaths compared with 15 in (he preceding season and an average of 20 for the past eight years. This measure of improvement justified hope that the continued safety campaign was really bringing results, but Easter has come as a direct set-back. Mr. Semple says that practically all the fatalities could have been avoided if normal care had been taken. When he adds that the responsibility and the remedy lie in the hands of the motorists themselves, he is quite right. A great deal has been done in recent years by the easing of grades, cutting off of dangerous corners and other improvements, to make the roads safer. The demand for certificates of mechanical fitness has come to save the heedless car-owner from himself. Simultaneously a constant educative campaign has been carried on. In spite of it all there remains the band of careless drivers who endanger not only their own lives but those of the careful majority. That is one of the worst features of the position—that a few irresponsibles can spoil the situation for all road travellers. The lesison is plain. The campaign for safety must continue to save lives which, otherwise, will be sacrificed.