asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles involved in accidents during the period 1934-43, inclusive, in respect of which compensation has been paid pursuant to a judgment of a court or by way of compromise under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act, 1933; the number of persons to whom compensation as aforesaid has been paid; the aggregate amount so paid; the largest sum paid to one claimant, and the largest sum paid in respect of a claim under the Fatal Accidents Acts, 1846-1908.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Accidents—Compensation Claims.
The following, subject to certain qualifications which I shall mention, gives the information in so far as it is available:—
|
No. of drivers involved |
No. of persons to whom compensation has been paid |
Aggregate amount so paid |
Largest sum paid to one claimant |
Largest sum paid in respect of a claim under the Fatal Accidents Acts, 1846-1908 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
|
172 |
204 |
74,570 16 10 |
6,321 1 3 |
2,054 1 1 |
The figures I have given for compensation include costs. Statistics not being available for the years 1934 and 1935 in respect of Department of Posts and Telegraphs vehicles, my statement does not take account of those years so far as the Department of Posts and Telegraphs is concerned. Also, it would not be possible without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour to indicate the number of drivers involved or the number of persons to whom compensation has been paid in the case of Army vehicles. Consequently, the figures given for the number of drivers involved and of persons to whom compensation has been paid exclude cases involving Army vehicles. Further, the figure for aggregate compensation does not quite refer to the calendar years 1934-1943, as statistics in respect of the Army were available only for the financial years 1933-34—1943-44. Finally, the figure for the aggregate amount of compensation paid has had of necessity to include certain payments of compensation where other than mechanically propelled vehicles were involved in the case of the Army owing to the impossibility of extracting separate figures.