H—4o

The following other points emerge : (i) A further increase in fatalities on the open road has taken place. In both 1946 and 1947 more than half of the fatal accidents occurred on the rural roads. During the war years, when petrol-supplies were drastically curtailed, the larger proportion of fatal accidents happened in the towns. (ii) The number of fatal accidents occurring after dark was greater in 1947, both in the towns and on the open road, than the number occurring in daylight,, although traffic at night is very much less than the volume using the roads in the daytime. (iii) Twice as many accidents where a pedestrian was killed occurred in hours of darkness as in daylight hours. Fatal non-collisions —i.e., where the motor-vehicle overturned or left the road, or where a passenger fell from the vehicle—were more frequent at night than in the daytime. Particulars of All Accidents Reported (i.e., Fatal and Non-fatal) (see Table No. 7). —Of 3,570 accidents reported, 2,460, or 69 per cent., occurred in built-up areas and 1,110, or 31 per cent., in areas not built up. In the towns 1 accident in 28 resulted fatally, but in the areas not built-up, where speeds are normally greater, the severity of the accident was greater, so that 1 accident proved fatal in every 11 reported. In the built-up areas, collisions between motor-vehicles numbered 747 ; there were 676 collisions between a motor-vehicle and a cyclist, and 634 collisions with a pedestrian. On the open road the main types of accident were as follows : Collisions between motor-vehicles (430, or 39 per cent., of all accidents on the open road). Motor-vehicle went over the bank (123). Motor-vehicle driven off the roadway (93). Motor-vehicle overturned (79). Motor-vehicle collided with a bicyclist (95). Motor-vehicle collided with a pedestrian (91). The relative severity of the main types of accident may be seen from the following : Collision with railway train .. .. .. 1 accident in 4 proved fatalPerson fell from vehicle .. .. .. 1 accident in 6 proved fatal. Over the bank .. .. .. .. 1 accident in 7 proved fatal. Collision with telegraph pole.. .. .. 1 accident in 13 proved fatal. Overturned on the roadway .. .. .. 1 accident in 14 proved fatal. Collision with pedestrian .. .. .. 1 accident in 15 proved fatal. Drove off roadway .. .. .. .. 1 accident in 24 proved fataL Collision with another motor-vehicle .. .. 1 accident in 29 proved fatal. Collision with a cyclist .. .. .. 1 accident in 37 proved fatal. Distribution of Accidents (see Tables Nos. 8 and 9). —Thirty-nine per cent, of all accidents, and nearly 25 per cent, of all fatal accidents, in 1947 occurred in one of the four main centres of population. This is over half of the total number of accidents in the built-up areas. Fifteen per cent, of all accidents, but 24 per cent, of all fatal accidents, happened on the State highway system of 3,800 miles. Thus approximately half of the accidents on rural roads took place on the State highways.

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