Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-04-15
CROSSINGS DEATHS
SHOW JAY-WALK|NG
SAFER IN CAPITAL
Most Fatalities Occur After
Dark-EIdridge Outlines
Two Remedies.
RESPECTING WALKERS
RIGHT OF WAY is URGED
New Headlight Law and Better
Street Illumination Other Pro
posals to Reduce Killings.

The fact that more pedestrians are
killed at crosswalks than between. in
tersections and that the great test mum
/ Der of fatalities occur between 6 pm.
and midnight are the outstanding
revelations of an analysis of auto.
mobile deaths in Washington in the
last y months, Traffic Director FL
| bridge announced today
There are two lessons to be learned
from this investigation, Mr. Eldridse
said, and he summed them up as fol
{ lows:
That there is urgent need for re-
quiring motorists to respect the right
/ of way of pedestrians at intersections
| and that we need a new headlight
law for vehicles as we'll as better
! illumination on the streets to cut
down accidents after dark"
Modify Headlight Plans.
In this connection Mr. Eldridse said
today that at the conference with his
! advisory committee last light il was
decided to modify the 81 tsginal plan
! for new headlight law b. permitting
| dimming of lights under tn8 following
conditions: On brightly lighted streets.
! in going over the brow of G. hill, on
| foggy nights and in heavy rain.
| The proposal that headlights be
| ample to enable the motorist to dis
| tinguish an object 200 feet away win
! be recomplended, Mr.. Eldridge said.
! Here are some of the high points in
/ the analysis OF accidents, which was
made by the Police Department and
j the Bureau of Public Roads at the
request of Mr.. Eldredge;
55 Pedestrians Killed.
] From July, 1923, TO June, 1924, So
!! pedestrians were killed, as follows
At intersections, "a; crossing at other
| than an intersection, Is: walking in
street, l; playing in street. II: run
ming into street, ,; others of this
class, 4.
From July. 1924, to March of this
year there were 3S pedestrians killed.
as follows-At intersections, 13: at
other than intersections. Is; standing
in safety zone, 8; playing in street ):
running into street, g. others OF this
class, ].
Considering the two periods TO-
gether, there were more than 40 per
cent of the total killed at intersec-
tions. In the two periods less than
80 per cent were killed while crossing
at manifestations. The remaining
number were due TO playing or run
ming in the streets.
The 135 fatal accidents listed for
the 21 months covered by the survey
shows the hours of occurrence as fol
lows: Between 8 and 9 o'clock at night,
Is deaths; between 1 and pm, Is;
between Z and s pm, Is; between
and pm, 13: and Z pm, 13- The
report shows few accidents occur in
the morning or early afternoon.
Most Deaths After Dark.
For the entire period from pm.
to midnight, 81 deaths occurred, or IS
per cent of the total number of ia
talities in the 20 months anaIyzed.
Analyzing fatal auto accidents by
the days of the week shows Friday to
be the most dangerous day to be on
the streets, but traffic officials see
little significance in this chart. Here
is how the days of the week line up:
Friday, 26 killed; Wednesday. q: Mon
day, 20; Saturday, 20; Sunday, II:
Thursday, Is, and Tuesday, Is.
There is nothing in this phase of
the survey to indicate that fatal ac-
cidents are more frequen. over the
week end, the report states.
Women's Record Is Best
There were only six woman drivers
involved in fatal accidents over the
month period covered by the sur
vey. The analysis according to color
and sex follows for the u months:
White male drivers, 106 white fe-
male drivers, 5: colored male drivers,
%, and colored females. l. Drivers re-
manned unknown in Il accidents.
This shows there was a total of
12S man drivers involved in fatal ac-
cidents, as against women
There is little or no indica tion, ac-
cording to this analysis" states the
report, that automobile accidents
happen more frequently in one month
than in any other-at least so far as
! those which were fatal are concerned.
There were only three accidents in
January and October, 1928 and only
two in January and August, 1924.
The greatest number was recorded in
July, 1928, when there were IL. The
minimum was two, in August, 1924"
Percentage of Children.
In the year from July, 1928. to
June, 1924, of the total number killed
% per cent were children under IA.
From July, 1924, to March of this
, year 35 per cent of those killed were
under IA years.
Although this shows a large number
of children killed, the largest group.
according to age, in both periods was
of persons As years and over. More
than 80 per cent of the persons killed
since July, 1928, were over As years
of age.
In analyzing street car accidents
the report stated;
Each of the-satal street car acci-
dents involved the death of but one
person. In the first period from
-FJurS.< 1923. to June, 1920 there were
III accidents of these occurred
within the block and 4 at intersec-
itions; in the second period from July
1924, to March, 1920 there were
accidents at intersections and within
the block.
Limit Upon Motor Trucks.
Mr.. Eidridge said today that at
the conference last night it was de-
lcided to place limit of 28 900 pounds
on motor trucks that may operate
on the streets of Washington. 1t also
was decided to prohibit overlooking of
ttrucks.
The speed limit for trucks in the
new traffic code were agreed upon at
1s miles an hopT~ Tor pneumatic tire
trucks and 10 an hour for solid tires
T The mass of data contained IN the
analysis of when and where accidents
Continued on Page ,. Column g.