Show better lighting cuts A accident i toll by E E FREE FRED ph D how american cities can earn dividends I 1 of at least 1000 per cent on an average annual investment of 9 cents per citizen spent in b etter better street lighting is indicated by statistics of fatal street accidents assembled and announced by the travelers insurance company of hartford conn out of american cities compared in 1931 and 1932 22 increased their budget for street lighting by an average of 9 cents per inhabitant in these cities there was a decrease of 25 per cent in the number of fatal street accidents happening between 6 antl anil 8 p in in winter which is the time when good street lighting is most necessary to I 1 lessen accidents twenty other cities I 1 in the list were impelled by economy I 1 drives to reduce their expenditures for street lighting by an average of 19 cents per inhabitant in these cities 1 I 1 fatal street accidents between the tha hours mentioned increased 7 per cent the relation between light and accidents also is proved by the fact that fatal street accidents between 5 and 8 p ra in in winter are more than ihan 90 per cent more numerous than between these same hours in summer although the volume of traffic is less in winter than in summer using known figures for the average number of accidents and for the money value to the family and community of the average person killed it is possible to estimate that for each million dollars spent in better street lighting at least ten million dollars worth of citizens would be saved |