ROAD ACCIDENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22365, 12 September 1934, Page 18

ROAD ACCIDENTS

157 KILLED IN A WEEK TRANSPORT MINISTER’S APPEAL. (From Oob Own Correspondent.) LONDON, August 4. During thi s week-end (August Bank Holiday) the Minister of Transport ia to motor through the country gaining firsthand knowledge of the perils of the road and why accidents occur. The subject is a burning one at present, for the accident figures continue to mount up steadily. For instance, there was a marked increase in the number of deaths during the week ended July 28, the number being 157 as compared with 143 in the previous week. This is the second_ highest total since the return was instituted. There' was also an increase in the number of persona injuried—from' 5262 to 6371. The totals for the 231 police districts covered by the return for the 20 weeks from. March 11 to July 28 were; England—--2312 died, 81,705 injured; Wales —126 died, 3635 injured; Scotland —272; died, 7951 injured; totals for Great Britain--2710 died, 93,291 injured. For the week ended July 21 the respective totals were: England —115 died, 4575 injured: Wales—ll died, 228 injured; Scotland—l 7 died, 459 injured; Great Britain —143 died, 5262 injured.

MASS SUGGESTION. Mr Hore-Belisha, who took over the position of Minister of Transport a mouth ago, addressed the public by wireless. He told them that he did not want to make more and more restrictions. He wished to seek the co-operation of the public, (who, he knew, were anxious to help. Out of every 100 people killed on the roads, lie said, 49 were pedestrians and only three drivers of motor vehicles, almost all the rest being pedal and motor cyclists or pillion riders. Three out of every four of the pedestrians who were killed were either children under 15 or persons over 55. This made plain that it was their duty to teach the children the risks which they ran. “ I know that during last Bank Holiday week-end,” the Minister concluded, “ one person met his death every hour. This is rather a stiff price to pay for a holiday, for it means that those who have gone out for a few hours with nothing but joy in their hearts have left some home for ever bereaved. With your help—with everybody's help—and unflagging care, we can reduce the toll next week; I wish you a very happy and—l will not say care-free —but careful holiday.” It will be very interesting to see whether this mass suggestion has an appreciable effect on the number of casualties in the immediate future. ,