Death on the Roads As a result of road accidents
in Great Britain last year, 6,595 people were killed (5 more than in 1937), and 226,854 were injured (nearly 500 more than during the previous year). The main reason for the increase in casualties was the treacherous December weather; otherwise for the third suc- cessive year the figures would have shown a decrease, despite the fact that there are now more vehicles on the roads in this country than ever before. Some improvement there has been, but the figures still record a terrible and profligate waste of human lives. Traffic deaths, like war, must be considered as arising from purely human sources. It is no uncontrollable natural disaster which descends on us and bears off each year thousands of people. The remedy must lie in our own hands, and it is encouraging to note the com- plete success of the experiment whereby the " courtesy police have been instrumental in reducing accidents in Lancashire, Essex and London. When a line of attack on a problem as urgent as this has proved its value it should be followed up all over the country.
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