and warnings quoted, the two Reports thus at least approximating. the high standards of impartiality and judgment normally found in official British publications. In the 1937 Report they are given first place and the comments and warnings are omitted. Moreover, despite the disclosure in the 1935 Report that the Chief Constables had abandoned the attempt to ascertain the estimated speeds of the drivers, the 1937 report, without warning or reservation, published percentage statistics of speed as a factor in accidents. (It is not surprising to find that among the accidents attributed to the drivers, only 22.5 per cent of the fatal and 20 per cent of the non-fatal were attributed to "excessive speed"; it is not explained that these figures are, in fact, based on non-existent information). Finally the 1937 Report omitted the statistics printed in the 1933 and '35 Reports of the "previous convictions" of drivers: the feeble yet sincere attempt to include in the national survey of the road situation at least some reference to its most important factor. It is thus impossible not to conclude that these progressive steps have been the result of increasing pressure on the Ministry by the motor interests; that for the time they were resisted by the responsible Ministry staff; and that this resistance has now finally been overcome. So much then for prejudice. now for some more facts. 18
IV. THE MOVABLE X In respect of the main cause of the motor slaughter and the real responsibilities or respective shares of blame of the different classes of road-users, the most reliable evidence is provided by the factual statistics contained in the three Ministry of Transport Reports (1933, '35 and '37)they are given most clearly and fully in the first two, where, as stated, they are also given the premier position- and in certain of the Reports by the Chief Constables. Indeed, the use of this impartial medium is unavoidable since it seems impossible for the different classes of roadusers to agree on what they see on the roads or for the drivers to agree among themselves on what they see (a) when they are driving and (b) when they are walking, or even for individual drivers to agree with themselves about the two conditions. Here then are the main factual statistics, the latest available figure being given in each category: (a) 60.5 per cent of fatal accidents and 52.6 per cent of non-fatal accidents occurred on straight roads or open road bends (1937, page 13). The 1935 Report (p. 6) -total 61.8 per cent fatal accidents - added the words ' with good sight lines." Only 4.2 per cent of the fatal accidents and 3.1 per cent of the non-fatal accidents occurred at "blind bends." (1933, p. 38). Only 3.3 per cent of the fatal and 2.3 per cent of the non-fatal accidents occurred on "steep hills." (idem). 89.7 per cent of accidents at roadjunctions were at uncontrolled crossings. (idem). (b) In less than .3 per cent of fatal accidents was the road excessively cambered. (1933, p.4). (c ) 21.1 per cent of fatal and non-fatal accidents occurred on roads less than 20 feet in width. (1937, p. 13). (d) 59.4 per cent of fatal accidents occurred in " very light traffic," 38.3 per cent in moderate traffic and 3.5 per cent in dense traffic (1935, p. 6), "when" the report adds "speed would of necessity be greatly reduced." (e) 60.2 per cent of the fatal accidents to cyclists occurred in light traffic conditions and only "a very small proportion where traffic was dense" (1933, p.8). (f) "By far the greatest number off fatal accidents to pedestrians while crossing the roadway occurred when traffic was either very light or moderate." (1933, p. 9). 19