MOTOR ACCIDENTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20720, 6 May 1937, Page 6

MOTOR ACCIDENTS

TOTAL OF 197 SINCE MARCH CAUSES ANALYSED By Telegraph--Press Association WELLINGTON, May 5 The Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) made a statement to-day regarding statistics being kept in connection with motor accidents, following the recommendation of the Road Safety Council. He had been able to secure the co-operation of the Police Department in obtaining particulars. A preliminary analysis is made each month by the Transport Department, and later on a more detailed analysis will be carried out by the Census and Statistics Department, covering all accidents during the year. Mr Semple proposes to make a monthly statement regarding accidents reported, and analysed. In order to include the Easter period, the returns were commenced from March 15. One hundred and nineyt-seven cases were reported to date, 13 of which caused fatalities, twenty-seven involved serious personal injuries, and the remaining 157 resulted in minor injuries only. Mr Semple said a close watch would be kept upon all accident factors revealed by the statistics. He was confident the data so gained would prove of material assistance in tackling the problem of reducing the toll of the motor vehicle. Of the 197 accidents reported. 86 occurred in the larger centres, 38 >n the smaller urban centres and 73 on rural roads. Sixty-seven occurred at night, the worst hourly period being between 7 and 8 o'clock, when 23 accidents or 12 per cent, of the total occurred. Tire most common driving faults specifically mentioned were ignoring the right hand rule (22 cases), not keeping to the left hand side (16 cases), excessive speed (11 cases) and cutting corners (eight cases). In addition 16 cases of reckless or negligent driving and ’0 cases of inconsiderate driving led to accidents. There were 16 accidents where the driver involved did rot hold a driving license. Road conditions which appear prominently in these accidents are loose metal (33 cases) wet bitumen <26 cases), obstruct- view at intersections (seven cases). In all 106 accidents occurred on straight roads, 36 at bends, 45 at intersections six at level crossings and four at or ’--ir bridges. In the majority of cases accidents occurred on flat stretches. Pedestrians failing to give way to vehicles, failing to keep to the footpath emerging from behind vehicles and intoxicated pedestrians contributed to the accident total.