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MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES
In 1962 there was a sharp rise in fatal road accidents in
the Borough, the total of 23 being an increase of nine over the
previous year.
Ten pedestrians lost their lives whilst crossing the road;
seven of these were over 60, the remainder being a middle-aged
woman, a schoolboy, and a young girl. The vehicles involved
consisted of private motor cars on seven occasions, an omnibus,
a heavy goods vehicle, and a tipper lorry.
On two occasions the passenger of a car received fatal
injuries; in one case a man under 35 was in a collision with a
sandbin, and in the other an elderly woman was in a collision with
a lamp-post.
Accidents between private motor cars and other vehicles
resulted in the deaths of eight persons. In four cases the
driver of the car died, and in one of these the young passenger
died also. On two oocasions the car struck a motor scooter
causing the death of the rider, and in one of these a young girl
also received fatal injuries.
The remaining three deaths all occurred to youths under
twenty. A cyclist collided with a heavy goods vehicle; a power
assisted cyclist collided with a light goods vehicle; and in the
third case the rider of a motor cycle lost control of his machine
and was thrown off.
OTHER ACCIDENTS
Accidents occurring in the home, at work, and in other places
showed a substantial increase over 1961, the total of 34 deaths
being 16 more than in that year.
Six deaths occurred at work, twice the number in 1961. The
objects and apparatus involved included falling steel cabinets and
sacks of flour, ignition of chemicals, and electrocution from an
electric drill.
Among the six deaths occurring from miscellaneous accidents,
there were instances of falling in the street, one person being
blown over by the wind. Five of the deaths occurred to persons of
over 70 years of age. The sixth, a middle-aged man, was struck by
a train when crossing the line.
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