§ 26. Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASSasked the Minister of Transport how many fatal accidents took place on the roads over the Easter holidays; how this compared with the same period in 1933; how many motor vehicles were involved; at what speed it was estimated that the vehicles were travelling; whether they occurred in built-up areas, as described in Clause 1 of the Road Traffic Bill; and how the number of vehicles registered this year compares with 1933?
Mr. STANLEYDuring the two weeks ended respectively 15th April and 22nd 955 April, 1933, which included Eastertide, a total of 248 persons were killed or fatally-injured in road accidents. Comparable figures are not available for the two weeks ended respectively 31st March and 7th April, 1934, which include Eastertide, as in many cases death from injuries does not take place until after the close of the week in which the accident occurred. It is, however, known that 187 persons were killed in road accidents during the two weeks in question and as past experience as to the number of injuries which prove fatal after the close of the week in which they occur indicates that at least 60 deaths will be added to the above figure, I regret that fatal road accidents during the two Easter weeks of this year are likely to have been at least as numerous as during the two Easter weeks of last year. I am not in a position to give my hon. and gallant Friend the other information for which he asks.
§ Sir W. BRASSDoes my hon. Friend realise that simply giving the number of fatal accidents without giving the facts as to where they occur and whether they have been due to speed in built-up areas, is very misleading?
Mr. STANLEYNo, Sir, I do not realise that at all. The more the general public know of the terrible extent of these casualties the more they will exercise caution in their use of the road, whether they be motorists or pedestrians.
§ Sir W. BRASSHow long would my hon. Friend take to, find out the statistics as to how many people were killed in built-up areas, as the result of high speeds, during the Easter holiday?
Mr. STANLEYI shall be shortly publishing an analysis for the last six months of last year, which will give information, not of course for the period referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend, but from which we can draw our own conclusions.
§ Mr. SIMMONDSIs it not a fact that a large number of accidents are due to the glossy nature of the road surfaces?
Mr. STANLEYIf my hon. Friend will study the analysis of fatal accidents for the first six months of last year, he will see there that in comparison with the total number of fatal accidents, the num- 956 ber of those due to road surfaces was comparatively small.