Vernal Express | 1981-07-02 | Page 29 | July 4th Traffic Death Estimates

innsuansen July 4th traffic death estimates The National Safety Council estimates that between 450 and 550 persons per-sons may lose their lives and another 21,000 to 26,000 persons may suffer disabling injuries from traffic accidents ac-cidents on the July 4th holiday weekend. The July 4th holiday begins at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 2 and extends through 12:00 midnight, Sunday, July 5. Last year, during a similar three day holiday period, the Council reported that 463 persons were killed and 21.300 persons were seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents. The Council reports that both deaths and death rates are higher during the holidays than they are during comparable com-parable nonholiday periods. For traffic deaths, the number that occurred during dur-ing five holidays (excluding Thanksgiving) Thanksgiv-ing) over the three years 1977-1979 was 25 percent higher than what would have been normal for nonholidays at the same time of the" year. Over these holidays, vehicle travel was fQuv per-cent per-cent higher. Because deaths increased more percentage-wise than travel, mileage death rates average 20 percent higher during holidays. Vehicle occupancy tends to be higher during holidays, as well, the Council said.