ROAD ACCIDENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19338, 31 May 1937, Page 13

ROAD ACCIDENTS

ANALYSIS IN BRITAIN OPEN AREAS WORST DRIVERS' RESPONSIBILITY LONDON, April 1. A detailed analysis of 100,000 road iccidents, involving personal injury, reveals that

Drivers were held to be responsible in 33 per cent of the eases, Pedestrians in 28.1 per cent, and

Pedal cvclisls ill 2G.2 per cent. The analysis was issued by the .Minis try of Transport yesterday, and the figures cover the period April-September, 1936. For the first time information concerning the causes of accidents which produce non-fatal, as well as fatal, injuries is available. In. the 100.000 accidents 2560 persons were killed, 26.698 seriously injured, and 33,553 slightly injured. Among the conclusions reached are:— Of the total accidents. 76i per cent occurred in built-up areas and 25A- per cent in areas not built up. In areas not built up 38 per cent oi the accidents resulted in death or serious injury, compared with 23.3 per cent in built-up areas. While 42 per cent <>i the accidents occurred at junctions, 51 per cent took place, on straight roads or open road bends with good sight lines.

One-third of the persons injured were pedal cyclists. 29 per cent were pedesIrians. and 18 per cent were motor cyclists or their passengers. 'More than one-third of motor-cyclists were either hilled or seriously injured. In nearly 80CO cases, or over 28 per cent of all'the accidents for which pedestrians were held responsible, the accident was ascribed to a child under seven years of age.' Excessive Speed Figures showing how the fault for accidents is apportioned are as follows: —

Fatal Non-fatal per cent per cent Driver: . 32,4 33.0 Pedesti ■iaiis ... .. 36.5 27.9 Pedal cyclists .. . 19.5 26.4 Where the cause s of acrid, ■ills were ascribed to lnofor-v ehiele drive 'l's, excessive spec il accounts rl for 3073 cases and 204 deatl is. Other causes wen 1 : — Misjml gin;* deal ■since, disi lance or speed o f another vehicle— 5435 (32 deaths); Overta! kiug imp roperly — 2 941 (65 deaths); Skiddii 1(5—2915 (49 deaths): Inatteu live or attention divei •led—2687 {68 (lcatl is). 1..I ..,-/.li^tc "■ J n the live or a ease of pC( ttention div ial c\ eiisis, erteij" was the. cause of 4098 i leeidents (3 1 deaths). and turnitig right . without c lue care >vi is responsil.le for 39C4 (96 d ealhs). All llll! ilysis of th e accidents in builtu)i and i ion-built-up areas show •s tho following fi gures: Ill llllilt-U] :) areas. Xc it built-up No p.c. N< ). p.c. Fatal ... 1.498 2.0 971 4.1 ■Serious . 16,304 21.3 7.913 33.8 Slight Tola ... 58,779 76.7 14,535 62.1 1 76.581 100.0 23,419 100.0 There were 4239 cases of collision with the rear of a pedal evele and 4064 ill whirl i two vehi cles co'lli.h id "headCI." 01 pedestria ( 31.575 tu u and a vi •cidi'lils ill 'hide were which 'ii involved, 1316 occi irred oil i'oi itpaths, era ss verges, etc. The ci illisioas wi th obstruc linns ineluded 4625 eases o !' collision 1 iptwecn a movingi a ,iul station!! iry vehicle. and 4784 cases of < ,-eliieles coll iding with objects at the side of, hut not exl ending over, the carriages The to •ay. till numher of vehicles- ; involved in the a ceidents wi is 151.341, the chief classes concerned lie ing : — Fa Ial Serious Private , ( ,. u ... accidents .. 989 injiirv 10,582 Motor cycles," . .. 663 G.99f> Public eonveyanef ?s 350 ] .930 Motor vans, etc. . .. 720 4.370 Pedal .. 776 11.107 HorseIra w u vehieh js 41 441 Pedestrians were mainly at. fault in crossing the cnrrii igcway heedless of traffic. ' I'his was t he cause in 10,069 cases, 346 of which proved fatal. Bolting horses cr uisecl 586 accidents, with 17 deaths, and dogs not under control 993, including! six deaths.