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14. Comparison of the traffic death-rate in New Zealand with that of Great Britain, two of the Australian States, and the United States of America shows : Deaths per 10,000 Motor-vehicles in 1946 Great Britain .. .. .. .. 174 United States of America .. .. 10-0 New South Wales .. .. .. 15*5 Victoria .. . . .. .. 12-6 New Zealand .. .. .. 6-1 15. Comparison of Fatal Accidents during the Past Seven Years (see Table No. 6). —Those killed in 1946 included 83 occupants of motor-vehicles, 57 pedestrians, 24 riders of motor-cycles or pillion-riders, 23 bicycle-riders, and 3 others. 16. During the war years from 1940 until 1945 the number of traffic fatalities dropped steadily each year. However, with the return to more or less unrestricted use of the motor-vehicle during the greater part of 1946 the accident figures rose again,, but did not quite reach the level of 1940, although traffic volumes in 1946 exceeded the volumes of 1940. 17. The following special points emerge from examination of the data : (i) The number of fatal accidents occurring on the open road increased very steeply in 1946. (ii) Collisions with railway trains at level crossings continued to take serious toll of life. (iii) In the built-up areas more fatal accidents happened at night-time than in the day-time. (iv) In 1946 the number of cyclists killed did not increase appreciably above the number of cycling fatalities during the war years, although well above the abnormally low number killed in 194-5. 18. Particulars of all Accidents Reported (i.e., Fatal and Non-fatal), (see Table No. 7). —In 1946 collisions between motor-vehicles constituted 31 per cent, of all accidents involving a motor-vehicle ; collisions between a motor-vehicle and a pedestrian 23 per cent, and collisions with a cyclist 22 per cent. Other collisions —i.e., with railway trains, tram-cars, animals, horse-drawn vehicles, and with fixed objects—made up 11 per cent., and non-collisions accounted for 13 per cent, of the total number of accidents. (Non-collisions include cases of vehicles overturning, going over the bank or otherwise leaving the roadway, and also cases of persons falling from a vehicle.) 19. Although numerically greater than any other type of accident, collisions between motor-vehicles resulted fatally in only 23 instances. On the other hand, there were 40 fatal non-collision accidents, and no less than 54 fatal accidents where pedestrians were the victims. 20. The severity of some of the different types of accident can be illustrated as follows : Collision with railway train .. .. More than 1 accident in 3 proved fatal. Over the bank .. .. .. More than lin 6 proved fatal. Person fell from vehicle .. .. More than lin 9 proved fatal. Drove off roadway .. .. 1 accident in 11 proved fatal. Collision with pedestrian .. 1 accident in 14 proved fatal. Collision with telegraph-pole .. 1 accident in 15 proved fatal. Collision with cyclist .. .. 1 accident in 30 proved fatal. Collision with another motor-vehicle . . 1 accident in 42 proved fatal. 21. The severity of accidents on the open road was considerably greater than in the built-up areas, where speeds are generally lower. While less than 4 per cent, of all accidents in built-up areas resulted fatally, nearly 10 per cent, of those in the rural areas were fatal.

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