ROAD ACCIDENTS IN OCTOBER

Southland Times, Issue 24592, 14 November 1941, Page 6

ROAD ACCIDENTS IN OCTOBER

Twenty-One Lives Lost

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, November 13. Last month New Zealand had the highest total of traffic deaths of any October on record, said the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, today. Twenty-one lives were lost on the road between October 1 and October 31, which was nearly twice as many as during October last year and eight more than in October 1939.

Mi- Semple added that Wellington continued its record as the most dangerous city in New Zealand for pedestrians, four of whom were killed during October. Auckland had two fatal accidents, Christchurch two and Nelson one.

Pedestrians headed the traffic fatality list of the month with seven killed. Car passengers numbered six, car drivers three, motor-cyclists three and cyclists two. In one accident, five people had been killed. The Minister stated that two main trends were evidenced by the figures. The first was an increase in the fatalities of all types and the second the growing number of pedestrians killed, especially in the black-out hours. No fewer than four pedestrians were killed during blackout hours in towns with restricted lighting. The Minister strongly advised pedestrians to wear something white or carry a torch at night-time and cyclists to have red tail lights on their cycles in restricted lighting areas.