§ 38. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the principal reasons which account for the fact that 456 persons were killed in road accidents during April, 1959, compared with 416 in April, 1958.
§ Mr. NugentThe increase in fatal accidents in April, 1959, compared with April, 1958, was mainly in respect of pedestrians and cyclists. It is difficult to draw general conclusions from a period as short as a month.
§ Mr. LiptonWill the Parliamentary Secretary take note of the fact that whereas the road traffic has increased during the months in question by 4 per cent. the number of people killed or injured is three or four times as great? When is something to be done to prevent this dismal progress whereby the number of casualties increases to a far greater extent than the amount of road traffic would justify?
§ Mr. NugentI accept that there was an increase of only 4 per cent. in the amount of traffic but I would point out that in the first four months of 1959 the number of fatalities showed a reduction compared with 1958. The periods are too short to show the general trend. It would be wrong to leave the impression that there is not a great deal being done to promote the cause of road safety and to make the roads safer. But it is most important that we should make the public aware of its responsibilities. We can do our part, but we need the cooperation of drivers and pedestrians.