OCR Text |
Show Most Auto Accidents Occur Close to Home Where do people have automobile accidents? Is it some distant and unfamiliar place? Or is it close to home? Statistics compiled by the Research Section of the Utah State Department of Highways indicates that 61.6 of vehicle accidents occur within a radius of five miles from place of residency. According to J. Edward Johnston, deputy director of highways for planning and traffic, 63 of the fatal traffic accidents occur in the vehicle operator's home county. Another 17 occur in a county adjacent to the vehicle operator's home county, and 8 occur within other counties coun-ties of the state. This bears out the paradox that often the locations about which the public complains frequently have the fewest traffic accidents. The reason seems to be that a dangerous looking spot is usually treated with great respect by drivers, while a harmless appearing stretch of road may breed that fatal contempt. The old saying, "Familiarity Breeds Contempt" explains a great proportion of highway mishaps. There is no question ques-tion but what confusion in unfamiliar surroundings does contribute to some traffic accidents. |