§ 41. Mr. Messerasked the Minister of Transport how many persons were killed and how many injured in Great Britain during 1936 by motor vehicles mounting footpaths or refuges; and what steps he proposes to take to make footwalks safer for pedestrians?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport (Captain Austin Hudson)Particulars of the numbers of persons killed and injured in Great Britain during the year 1936 by motor vehicles mounting footpaths or refuges are not available, but an analysis of 100,000 road accidents involving personal injury which occurred in the months April to September, 1936, shows that there were 35 fatal and 1,281 non-fatal accidents due 3061 to collisions between vehicles and pedestrians on footpaths, verges or refuges. Such accidents can be avoided only by the exercise of proper care.
§ Mr. MesserHave the Ministry any evidence in regard to accidents that take place at those refuges where the pedestrian crossing is obliquely drawn and the driver of a car imagining that the pedestrian is going in a certain direction has rapidly to change his course?
§ Captain HudsonI should like to have notice of that rather different question.