Holiday Accidents on the Roads

Southland Times, Issue 24010, 28 December 1939, Page 6

Holiday Accidents on the Roads

NOT for the first time in recent years appeals for more careful driving during the holiday period (coupled in this case with a specially urgent appeal for economy in the use of petrol) have.been followed by a series of fatal road accidents. Last week-end brought death to six motorists and cyclists in different parts of the country, and injury to at least 10 more. This heavy toll was all the more unfortunate because Mr Semple’s vigorous campaign for road safety has undoubtedly had good results. The truth is, of course, that holidays create special risks. There is more than the usual amount of traffic on the highways—and more than the usual number of casual and inexperienced drivers. It has been shown that most accidents occur at week-ends and that generally they are caused by specific breaches of driving or traffic rules. Most frequent of these breaches are failure to yield right of way, cutting corners, excessive speed and failure to keep to the left. It is not always the inexperienced driver who takes risks; sometimes, indeed, it is his excessive caution that is a cause of accident. But the analyses made by the Transport Department suggest that in the main it is lack of driving practice or lack of skill which adds most heavily to the list of holiday fatalities. There are no immediate and sudden remedies. The road safety campaign will have to be carried on with even greater zeal and effectiveness. Another measure to which more attention should be

given is a stiffening of the tests to which new drivers are subjected: in some districts licences are still obtained far too easily. The problem is world-wide, and in New Zealand it is being attacked in a way that compares favourably with what is being done elsewhere. Holiday accident lists are grim reminders that the work is vitally necessary and that there can be no relaxation of the effort to achieve road safety.