Page 400 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat
P. 400

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                                              TRAFFIC

                  Superintendent J. Hyde was in charge of the Traffic Department throughout the year.


              Vehicles
                  I. During 1956, 773 new motor vehicles were registered, bringing the total at the end of
              the year to 4,830.

                  2. The number of new pedal cycles registered was 1,523. The practice of registering
              new pedal cycles at the Traffic Office is being discontinued.


              Traffic Accidents
                  1. The year 1956 was the worst on record for accidents. Twenty-three persons died as
              a result of road accidents, 8 of these were pedestrians and include 3 children of under 16 years
              of age. Two pedal cyclists and one man in charge of a donkey and cart were killed at night
              Of the remainder of the fatalities, two persons were killed while riding a motor-cycle, the other
              were passengers in motor vehicles.

                  2. Other road casualties during the year include 30 persons seriously injured and 117
              slightly injured. Pedestrians were involved in 55 accidents as compared with 34 during 1955.

                  3. The total number of accidents recorded was 338 which is an increase of 160 over the
              previous year. 269 occurred during daylight and 69 during the hours of darkness.


                  4. The Awal Road (Manama-Awali Road' which carries heaviest traffic has become the
              worst road for accidents.

                  5. Each year the number of vehicles turned over without being involved with a second
               vehicle is increasing. No less than 22 vehicles were involved in such accidents which were
               responsible for 3 deaths. In six of the cases the drivers were Europeans. This type of accident
              is the result of recklessness or bad driving and perhaps bad maintenance of the roads surface
               or inadequate warning of obstructions.

                  6. Owing to the shortage of literate and specially trained Traffic Police, the majority of
               cases taken to the Courts arise from accidents, whereas with more patrols and traffic supervision
               many of the serious accidents could be eliminated.

                  7. At present the Traffic Officers spend most of their time investigating accidents, whereas
               more effort should be made to prevent them. Persons convicted of any form of bad driving
               should have their licences suspended for a substantial period.


                  8. Types of Vehicles involved in Accidents. Following are details of the types of vehicles
               involved in accidents :
                         Private Vehicles                               218
                         Lorries                                         133
                         Taxi Buses                                      70
                         Taxi Cabs                                       72
                         Private Buses                                   19
                         Motor Cycles                                    13
                         Pedal Cycles                                     18
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