Evening star., 1924-07-27
TRAFFIC CASUALTIES SHOW
HEAVY ANNUAL INCREASE
Big Cain in Number of Automobiles in City and
Lack of Funds to Build System, Greatest
Problem, of NesV Board.

Deaths in traffic accidents are an
spondingly large increase in the
number Of people driving cars and
! the number of cars in the so-called
consested area downtown Both fur
nish serious problem to the traffic
board. named by the last Congress to
study and solve the traffic problems
| in the District of Columbia.
While the board has no funds with
| which to go ahead with. it's work of
study. SO far as looking into condi-
tions in other cities, the appropria-
tion for it having been lost in the
last minutes o, Congress. neverthe-
less the preliminary survey of the
figures on accidents and resultant
casualties shows that few if any of
them can be attributed to the heavy
traffic, or that regulation and moving
number of deaths. The figures show
that of the 1913 deaths that occurred
last year. only 13 were in the con-
geSted zone, while the remain,ler
were outside of 1t where the traffic
movement cannot be said to be thick.
condition, it was pointed out, the traf-
tic situation. so far as it means a
cutting down of the death and cas-
uaf;y list. means the necessity of get
the motorist in the compliance with
the regulations for safety and eau
tion. or the provision of more police
to bring tie offenders who court ac-
cidents by their disregard of regula-
tions into the courts and making
such examples of them as will force
others to give their cooperation in
bringing the death and casualty list
down each year.
Ii Deaths in COnxestcd Area.
Out of the l03 deaths attributed to
traffic during the fiscal year from
July 1. 1923, to June 80, 1924, only
l3 occurred in the congested zone,
while the other 80 occurred outside.
In No. l precinct, which has most Of
the congested area, there were IL
deaths during this period. while No.
precinct. which has a part of the
area. had deaths. only of which
were in it's section, which is in the
! traffic zone. The precincts which
| even greater traffic casualties than
those which have the built-up sec
| tions.
BY precincts the traffic casualties
| noted for this period follow: No. l,
eleven; No 2. nine: No. 3. eight: No.
! No. Z. eight; No. 8. ten; No. 9, eleven !;
| No. 10, thirteen; No. IL, two, and No.
| IL, four.
or the 1Os deaths. % were children
| of IA years of age and under
In the cases in which deaths oc-
| CURED, it is interesting to note the
| figures on the verdicts Of the coro-
ner's juries. In 25 cases persons
| were held for the action of the grand
| jury: in SO of the cases the deaths
were called accidental" and in ~
| of them the accidents were declared
| due to the carelessness of the de-
ceased.
| Motor vehicles figured in the deaths
| of "a of the cases, street cars II, rail-
| road trains and teams 3.
Accidents at Crossings.
The total number Of accidents at
| street intersections as compared to
those between street intersections
seems to bear out the opinion that
| motorists and pedestrians show a
great lack of caution at the point
| where traffic crosses. The total num-
| Der Of accidents at street intersec-
tions was 500, as compared with
3,2s7 accidents at points between
| street intersections.
| The figures show that ~ people
| suffered serious injuries during the
| year covered by the reports. while
2,793 suffered minor injuries. sos OF
| which were children IA years of age
| and under. In 6.41S cases there was
/ damage to property. Vehicles strucl
| 1.401 people and street cars. 50. while