| Show VORSE THAN WAR this is the title given to a pamphlet blet of statistics compiled by zt a large insurance company for the american legion and distributed over the country to show the need of safety programs in each community the startling statement is made that more persons were idilea in automobile accidents in the united states during the past 18 months than the total members of the american expeditionary borce that were killed in action and died of wounds during the 18 months that this country was engaged in the world war the number of automobile fatalities was while during the war only of the A E F lost their lives the death and injury toll from motor accidents has been mount ing at an alarming rate and we are wondering what will be the situation during the next five years if the american people do not mot promptly awake to their danger and institute an educational campaign such as has been started in such a commendable manner mer by the american legion in 1916 there were deaths from automobile accidents in the united states in 1920 this figure had grown to an increase of more than 50 per cent in four years in 1925 there were deaths an increase of 75 per cent and in 1930 there were deaths and more than injuries while the indicated registration of automobiles in 1930 increased less than one per cent the auto ac accidents rients increased around 12 1 per celt cent out of every 26 accidents there was one person killed and there were 30 injured for each fatality drivers of automobiles were responsible for three times as many accidents as were pedestrians exceeding the speed limit driving on the wrong side of the road and failing to have the right of way were responsible for 68 per cent of the accidents last year more than pedestrians met death primarily through their own fault while 2300 other pedestrians were killed because of the actions of drivers the backing of cars was responsible for 14 deaths out of every 1000 and for 17 injured out of every 1000 only 44 per cent of injuries were within per cent of the fatalities occurred within corporate limits of towns and cities but nearly 70 per cent of the injuries were within these districts which fact indicates that increased rates of speed play an important partin the fatal mishaps outside of towns nearly twice as many accidents occur at intersections as between them which shows that we should exercise extreme caution at crossings more than twice as many children between the ages of 5 and 15 were killed as under the age of 5 which brov proves es that motorists should be doubly cautious when passing school zones nearly 95 per cent of the injured toll were the victims of automobiles in good condition apparently defective brakes and steering gears caused less than 2 per cent of the deaths records indicate that men drivers were behind the wheel in 94 per cent of the fatal accidents and women in the remaining 6 per cent whether the better record of women drivers as to fatalities was due to better driving or to not being behind the for as many miles on the average is not indicated by the records ninety seven out of every hundred fatalities involved a driver over the age of 18 years so that it would seem that it is not so much inexperience or inability to drive as it is recklessness which should b blamed for the enormous death toll practically 80 per cent of the accidents occurred when road surfaces were dry and when the weather was clear forty two out of every fatalities resulted during the night time the peak of fatal accidents took place between the hours of 4 p m and 9 p m when traffic is heaviest and when drivers were weary from their days work far more men were killed in automobile accidents than women the num her ber of men being in excess of 76 per cent of the total more than one fifth of the fatalities happened on sunday |
