What Really Causes Accidents ?
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ACCIDENTS had been shown to cost the State a yearly average of £100,000 000 (in terms of 1944 money), and even this vast sum omitted the waste resulting from traffic delays and congestion. This statement was made by Lt.-Col. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B.. M.Inst.C.E., Hon. M.Inst.H.E., at • a road-safety meeting, on November 15, of the Institution of Highway Engineers.
He further said: "It is right that we should try to remedy specific risks of traffic, clear black spots, rail off footway corners, stop darting children, attack drivers' irregularities, etc. While that goes on, something more fundamental is needed if we are to eradicate -the nation-wide sociological evil of 250,000 involuntary road casualties yearly.
" Adequate funds should be applied to an organized scientific—and, therefore, experimental—study of the problem. " It is hoped that from the series of papers and meetings being arranged by the Institution of Highway Engineers, a complete programme of research will emerge and that the appropriate authorities will take immediate action to reduce this vast expenditure of life and money."
First Research Hoard A hopeful step, he pointed out, was that the Government had this year appointed the first Scientific Research Board on road traffic, under Sir F. E. Smith, F.R.S., and accepted the advice of the Alness Committee to keep the researchers independent of the administrators. The new board could call for information from the Ministry of Transport, but was not under its control.
The purpose of his paper, he said, was partly to defend road users, but chiefly to express, with some trepidation, the hope that the Government would not throw away an opportunity that it gave itself when it appointed a Board for Scientific Research into Traffic Flow. It should give the State a chance of investing "a million or two in a gold mine called operational research that would pay thousands per cent."
The use of streets to achieve best traffic output deserved early attention, said Lt.-C-ol. O'Gorman. Experiments on a test ground would help. He asked what obstructed road traffic more—one 9-ton vehicle or three 3-ton vehicles. Should some inducement, such as tax relief, be used to encourage the lessobstructive combination? The same queries applied to a vehicle and trailer, as against two separate vehicles for equal total load. • As the 20 m.p.h., speed limit on heavy commercial vehicles caused much avoidable overtaking, with its hazards, the Board should advise whether this limit be abolished in the interest of safety,