(g) 82.7 per cent off fatal accidents and non-fatal accidents occurred in clear weather; 14 per cent in rain and hail; and 2.2 per cent in fog or mist. (1937, p. 13). "This (frequency of accidents in clear weather) confirms the impression... that conditions of low visibility, in which traffic itself is, of course, often reduced in volume, brings home to users of the highway the necessity fo caution and for reducing speed." (1935, p. 5). (h) 72.0 per cent of the fatal accidents in built-up areas during the hours of dark ocurred where the lighting was good. (1935, p. 5). In short, the great majority of Accidents occur in circumstances that encourage speeding: that encourage drivers to indulge in bursts of speed in the belief that they have a "clear road." More generally it will be seen that everything that is supposed to produce more danger in fact produces more safety and that everything that is supposed to produce more safety produces more danger. (The first thing that has to be learned about the motor slaughter is that, practically everything in it is exactly the opposite to what is commonly supposed.) Better roads, better sight lines, fewer bends and blind corners, less traffic, better lighting, better visibility, better weather conditions -all these that are supposed to make for greater safety, in fact, make for greater danger. Worse roads, worse surfaces, worse sight lines, more bends and blind corners, dense traffic, worse lighting, worse visibility - all these that are supposed to make for greater danger, in fact, make for greater safety. And, as will be found, this is true of all "nonrestrictive" safety measures, including even technically better driving, and this is, of course, because every "nonrestrictive" safety measure, however admirable in itself, is treated by the drivers as an opportunity for more speeding, so, that the net amount of danger is increased and the latter state is worse than the first. We drive out the one devil of a particular danger and let in the seven devils of speeding. In trying to end the motor slaughter we are perpetually chasing a factor we never catch. It is a problem we cannot solve because X changes with every attempt at a solution. It is regrettable that statistics of mileage and traffic volumes are not available since it is clear that these would emphasise the conclusion still more strongly . For example, "straight roads," "open roads" and " good sight lines " are less frequent than "blind corners" and "road bends" that "obscure" the driver's view: the infrequency 20
of the former and the frequency of the latter constitute, in fact, one of the main complaints of the drivers; yet it is the former and not the latter that produce not relatively but absolutely the more accidents, Again, taking into account all the streets and lanes of our towns and villages, there are without doubt no more-indeed there are perhaps fewer- roads of more than 20 feet in width than roads less than 20 feet in width; yet the former produce four times the more accidents. For any who still feel any doubts as to the part played by speed in the motor slaughter i.e. not the abstraction "speed" about which the drivers often. ask, Pontius, Pilate-like', "What is speed?", but the speed now commonly travelled by the drivers, the following views of Chief Constables may be of value: Perth: As to the principal causes of accidents I have no hesitation in stating that it is speed. I believe that 90 per cent of accidents are due, more or less directly, to this cause." (1935). Wallasey: " I venture to suggest that speed is the danger element in the majority of accidents." (1935). Birkenhead: "We appear to have produced a speed complex." (1935). Kendal: "The town's immunity from road deaths is attributable mainly to its winding, old-fashioned streets which compel motorists to drive cautiously." (1935). Metropolitan Area (Assistant Commissioner Sir Alker Tripp): "The speed of motor traffic is shewn by its effects to be a deadly and persistent danger . . . The matter of vehicle speed is the decisive factor." (1935). Southampton: "No matter what precautions are taken, until motorists are content to slow down considerably, there will be no substantial decrease in the number of Accidents." (1937). Somerset: "The majority of accidents in the blackout are due to the vehicles being driven at too great a speed