“ACCIDENT-PRONE”

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20715, 27 January 1939, Page 9

“ACCIDENT-PRONE”

DANGEROUS MOTORISTS DIAGNOSIS PROPOSED MR SEMPLE'S CAMPAIGN (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON. Thursday Accldent “repeaters” and accidentprone drivers are to receive special attention this year, according to an announcement made by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, today. Such drivers, he said, could correct the cause of accidents to the benefit of themselves and others. ‘‘lnsurance companies are familiar with the driver who is constantly making claims for bent mudguards and other property damage,” Mr Semple added. “Cases of three or four claims against a company in a year are frequent. One driver last year made stx claims against his insurers. “The Transport Department does not receive particulars of accidents in which no person is injured but. from departmental reports, more than JBO persons have been involved in two or more accidents causing personal injury in the last 18 months. One driver had three personal-injury accidents in less than three months. "The rather extraordinary fact was ■evealed by departmental reports that. Jn five cases of accident, ‘repeaters’ bad collided with each other. That is. they had ‘repealed’ together. One of these double repeating accidents ended fatally, and several of the other accidents had fatal results. Procedure Outlined “Apart from the effect of keeping up insurance premiums, accident-prone drivers are a menace to everyone on the road,” said the Minister. “Accidentproneness exists in factories, mines, industry and in the home. II is on the road, however, that its effects are likely to lie of the greatest danger to other members of the community.”

Mr Semple said that when the same driver was involved in two accidents causing personal injury !:ie case was referred by the Transport Department

to the local authority where the driver resided. A recommendation was made that the driver he interviewed by a competent traffic officer and an investigation made of his driving characteristics and history. It was suggested also that an inquiry be made into possible driving weaknesses, such as faulty judgment of speed or distance, or defective reaction.

The primary purpose of the Investigation was to ascertain what drivers were having recurrent, accidents, and why. To discover ibis was the first step toward eliminating these accidents. A diagnosis of driving faults might also assist “repeaters” 1o avoid their faults and traffic accidents in future.