Death on the Roads The conclusions to be drawn from
the Ministry of Transport's analysis of too,000 fatal and non-fatal road accidents reported during six months in 1936 are important, particularly in so far as they confirm existing impressions. The first, that injuries sustained on roads without a speed limit are more serious than those where a 30-mile limit exists, is of the nature of the obvious ; it is desirable to know in addition whether accidents are relatively more numerous on uncontrolled roads. The fact that over a third of the victims were pedal-cyclists, and that over 40 per cent. of accidents occur at road-junctions is significant. In each case a partial remedy can be found, in the provision of cycle-tracks and the installation of lights, the opening out of blind corners or the construction of roundabouts. These are reforms which cost only money, and the expenditure of money is better than the loss of life. The much more difficult problem of the careless or incompetent driver remains. But the fact that that cannot be completely solved is no excuse for slackness in carrying out such safety measures as are plainly practicable. A largely increased provision of two-track roads and of road-junctions with clear visibility is the first requisite. That would not exonerate careless drivers, but it would exonerate the Ministry of Transport, which takes over the trunk roads as from April 1st, and the local authorities.
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