ROAD DEATH TOLL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19893, 22 March 1939, Page 14

ROAD DEATH TOLL

SHARP FEBRUARY RISE DOMINION FATALITIES DOUBLING ON JANUARY EASING OF PUBLICITY, (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Fatal road accidents in New Zealand fell to the total of 11 in January last, this drop from 19 in the previous month being attributed to the influence of the road-safety week observed throughout New Zealand, during December. Figures released yesterday by the ' Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, show that for the perioc August, 1938, to February, 1938, the monthly totals of fatal accidents! were, with the sole exception of February, lower than the earlier months of the statistical year. The DecemberJanuary fatality figure, in fact, was; the lowest recorded since ( such statistics have been compiled. A reduction of more than 200 eases of injury was noted in the 10 weeks following the road-safety week. Mr. Semple announced that the cost of the road-safety week was less than £2OOO. On an actuarial basis the saving in human life during the period following this campaign was £25,000 and this figure represented the reduction in fatalities only. The lossthrough casualties and property damage would add considerably to the figure. January's Low Total After January's small total of 11 liyes lost, the February figure rose sharply to 21. A review of the half-year, in explaining this, points out that a set sum was apportioned for road-safety expenditure ur, to March 31. This sum was practically exhausted by the road-safety week demonstration. By the end of January, the fund had all been used and publicity had to be relaxed. An immediate result was an increase in the number of fatal accidents which in February were almost double the number in January, despite the density of holiday traffic in the earlier month. Christchurch has the unenviable position of being the scene of most accidents during the past six months. The number of fatalities in the Christchurch metropolitan built-up area was eight. Wellington followed with seven. Then came Dunedin with three and Hamilton with two. North Island's Big Quota Accidents in the built-up areas totalled 4(5, compared with 05 on the open road. Of the open-road fatalities, 53 occurred in the North Island and only 12 in the South Island. In towns, pedestrians contributed very heavily to the total. On the open road, however, it was the occupants of motor vehicles who swelled the total, no fewer than 55 of the 78 persons who were killed on the road being either drivers or passengers. In 54 per cent of the total fatal accidents on the open road, there was no second party to the accident, the motor vehicle overturning, going over a bank, or crashing into a pole, or some other object. Nine motor cyclists and one pillion rider, were killed in town 1 - and exactly the same number in the country. Bicycle fatalities were largely confined to the towns.