H—4o.

years group also has a high rate—6o3 casualties per 100,000. After thirty-five years is reached the rate is comparatively steady at about 340 casualties per 100,000. The accident rate for children averages 170 per 100,000, or half that of the groups over thirty-five years. (/) The Types of Road-users killed or injured. The numbers of the various types of road-users who were killed or injured each month are set out in the following table:—

Table K.—Type of Road-users killed or injured each Month.

April was the record month last year in respect of the number of all casualties. There were more motor-vehicle-occupant and also more pedestrian casualties that month than during any other. In May there was a greater number of bicyclists injured than in April, and in December there were more motor-cyclists. Generally speaking, the summer months produce the greatest crop of accidents to users of motor-vehicles, but, as indicated earlier in the report, the winter months are the worst for pedestrians and cyclists. (g) Accident Causes. An endeavour has been made to assess the responsibility for the various types of accidents to the different parties involved. Each individual report received indicates the main cause of the accident in the opinion of the reporting officer. In Table L these main causes have been set down against the appropriate party or feature judged to be to blame. There are also, of course, other secondary causes indicated in many accidents, but these have been disregarded for this purpose.

Table L. —Assessment of Main Responsibility for Accidents.

36

Number of Persons killed or injured. Month " Occupants ,77 vlficles" °PiW 01 Bi °y clists - trians' 0thor ' Total - _____ ' riders. 1938. A P ril 325 92 108 112 4 641 May .. ■■ •• •• 226 78 117 77 6 504 June • ■ ■ ■ • • • • 228 67 98 84 4 481 Ju] y 200 56 72 106 4 438 f- u g ust , 187 47 70 86 • 12 402 September .. .. .. 180 64 78 73 5 400 October .. .. ., 277 84 84 72 10 527 November .. ... .. 215 76 95 68 3 457 December .. . . .. 299 102 81 73 3 558 1939. .January .. .. .. 309 60 54 52 3 478 February .. .. .. 244 79 78 67 5 473 March .. . . .. 284 70 81 82 5 522 T ° tals 2,974 875 1,016 952 64 5,881

Number of Accidents. Motorist at Fault. Bicyclist at Fault. 3 J ypo of Accident. « . o v ' — _____ 43 • !I3 || .HI -i || *1 3 I 11 5 l| § y -j S S 1 I & ° I 5 I _ | 13 j A HMOHJcl, P3-ij OH Motor-vehicle and bicyclist 452 9 461 497 23 520 .. 8 3 992 Motor-vehicle and pedes- 233 22 255 623 1 879 trian Other motor-vehicle acci- 2,146 150 2,296 100 26 90 2 512 dents Total accidents involving 2,831 181 3,012 497 23 520 623 109 29 90 4 383 a motor-vehicle i