IT.—40

Motor-cyclists. Accidents, totalling 103, occurred as follows : age fifteen, 1 ; sixteen, 18 ; seventeen, 13 ; eighteen, 26 ; nineteen years, 45. In addition 44 pillion-riders were injured. These accidents have not been analysed in detail as they will be covered by a later analysis of accidents to drivers of all motor-vehicles, including motor-cyclists. Motor-vehicle Passengers. (Other than pillion-riders.) This group follows push-cyclists in order of seriousness. Casualties to passengers under twenty years of age average 13 a fortnight. One in every 5 accidents was serious (or fatal). The ages of those killed were four years, 1 ; six, 1 ; seven, 1 ; nine, 1 ; ten, 1 ; eleven, 2 ; fifteen, 1 ; eighteen, 2 ; and nineteen years, 4. In most of the 248 accidents the responsibility rested with the drivers of the vehicles the occupants of which were injured, or with the drivers of other vehicles. Trends. Though the figures are for a period of only nine months, there seems to be some evidence of a small general falling off in accidents to young pedestrians and young push-cyclists ; though, with respect to the latter, a comparison between the June-August and September-November figures shows a small increase in the latter period. Motor-cyclists showed an increase in the four months AugustNovember as compared with the preceding four months of April-July. G. ADULT EDUCATION AND PROPAGANDA. The avenues of approach to the problem of road-safety education were explored by special subcommittees of the Road Safety Council, the findings of which were set out in detail in the last report of this Department. The Road Safety Council defined the objects of an education campaign as: — " Awakening the conscience of the people to the consequences of road accidents, and of securing the full and willing co-operation of the public in an effort to reduce, and if possible eliminate, such accidents ; " Educating the individual road-user regarding the requirements laid down by the law and by a reasonable standard of conduct in his relations to other road-users ; and " Inculcating in the mind of the individual a consciousness in which observance of the law and habits of caution and consideration will become second nature." For the purpose of achieving these objects : — " All the main needs of publicity should be availed of to an adequate extent and expert assistance should be utilized. " There should be co-ordination of propaganda activities. " There should be definition of responsibility as between the Government, local authorities, and automobile associations, and assistance given in the form of Government subsidy in respect of approved educational and propaganda measures of the automobile associations." As a first step in giving effect to these recommendations a Publicity Officer was appointed to the staff of the Department during the year, and the possibilities of publicity are being fully explored. Many suggestions and offers of assistance were received during the year ; the thanks of the Department are due to many public and private organizations for their active co-operation, and particularly are they due to the press, the National and Commercial Broadcasting Services, theatreproprietors, the local bodies, and many Government Departments. Investigations have shown that it is rare to find two accidents that are precisely similar ; traffic mishaps are as diverse as the road-users who are involved in them, and are further complicated by such variables as the condition of the roadway, the light, the weather, and the mechanical state of the vehicle. An attempt to modify the action of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, of different ages, temperaments, and experience, each one of whom will react differently under different circumstances, must be based upon publicity as diversified as possible in its appeal. Any one type of propaganda aimed to appeal to all classes of road-users would probably be ineffective. Accordingly, the publicity has been made as varied as possible in its application, ranging in its appeal from realism to abstract idealism. It is not proposed to give a detailed list of the various publicity schemes and methods adopted, but a brief summary is given below of the different types of propaganda used : — Press. —Considerable publicity has been given by the press to road-safety material, statistical and general. Detailed analyses of accident reports were supplied monthly to every newspaper in the Dominion, these being later supplemented by statements based upon the statistical summaries. The monthly statement was later replaced by a shorter weekly statement, in which not only the monthly figures were dealt with, but specific types of accident, such as those to elderly pedestrians, were treated. It is proposed to continue this system, the statements being based upon original material and being made as interesting as possible. Comparisons are now being made between months just past and the corresponding month of the previous year. General appeals have also been made through the press on special occasions, and short statements relating to accidents in

24