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Show TRAFFIC ' 1 Pedestrian, Driver Obey Signals But Fatality Occurs Victim Afoot Struck by Truck in Daylight With Conditions Unfavorable to Mishap, Police Study of Case Shows 1 , Br BOB HALE ; Why did they die? ' . ' Why are pedestrian a majority of traffic death victims? Of 19 persona killed In Salt Lake traffic accidents thii year, 12 were pedestrians. By reviewing accident report, The Telegram Is seeking to learn the reason. ' The fifth pedestrian victim of a fatal accident this year was Mrs. Mary Schramm Alexander, 81, of 128 Second avenue. She and John 3. Roberts Sr, 81, retired police captain, who was killed September 11. were the oldest victims. Mrs. Alexander was struck by a truck at State and South Temple streets on May 18. She succumbed the next morning. The accident occurred In daylight, at 2:55 p. m., with all physical physi-cal conditions in favor of accident prevention. She was walking north In a painted lane on the west side of the Intersection, walking walk-ing properly within a marked crosswalk and with the traffic light In her favor; that is, shining green for north-south traffic. The driver of the truck entered the Intersection upon the green light and started to make a lawful left turn at the same time Mrs. Alexander was crossing in the pedestrian crosswalk. Polite reports aaid-tlie driver reported -that s--he- hcgan-tho turn he noticed another truck, southbound on State street, approaching ap-proaching him. This second truck, he told police, was going a "little too fast and, in order to avoid a collision, he turned sharply. Had he not turned sharply, he would have been struck by the Fifty-one Days Without Death Will Set Record for Salt Lake The ether evening we saw a cleaning and dyeing delivery panel truck make a left turn la thick traffic at South Temple Tem-ple and Mala streets, the driver apparently secure la the belief be signaled eorraetly by letting the deer fly seen. All ef which Is a reminder that such unlawful signaling Is a swell way te get Involved In a serious accident and be criminally crim-inally liable. The law speotflea arm signals MUST BE USED. This is a reminder also that unrelenting safety effort is , aeeeaaary If Salt Lain City is te set a aew modern record ef SS consecutive days without traffic death. The last II days have been deathless; (1 mere are needed t reach the goal en December II. lecond truck, reported the driver whose machine struck Mrs. Alex-inder. Alex-inder. He did not see the pedestrian, he said, until his truck cached the pedestrian crosswalk. Patrolman G. M. Hopkins, who, with Patrolman E. H. Chris-ensen, Chris-ensen, investigated the accident, was of the opinion the human lement was entirely responsible In this case. "There was no excessive speed or signal violation on the part f the driver Involved," Patrolman Hopkins said. "Speed of the ruck was estimated at about 10 miles an hour and it stopped ilthin five feet after the accident. The driver was arrested on i charge of failing to yield light of way to a pedestrian and con-'icted. con-'icted. There was no serious violation of a traffic law to merit It manslaughter charge. I The lights were In favor of both driver and pedestrian. There lvas no responsibility apparent here on the part of the pedestrian, ut only a question of a driver using proper Judgment The driver iss watching the approaching truck and failed to see the pedes-rian. pedes-rian. When he again looked toward the west, it was too late. "No overt act was committed by the driver and apparently only lis Judgment was at fault. He should have realized the crosswalk .as there." Patrolman Hopkins said old age was a factor In this case only n that Injuries of any type are more serious for elderly persons. |