New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-10-27
AUTO LAWS BROKEN
% Times IN week
HERE, LIONS SAY
Members Of Club Report on
Their Observations to Chief
Clerk in Motor Vehicle Dept.
365 ACCIDENTS OCCUR
IN CITY IN SIX MONTHS

Noon Luncheon Today, Says Most
Collisions Take Place in Daylight
and in Pleasant Weathcr-Expe-
rlenced Drivers Figure In Greater
Number of Crashes.
Most automobile accidents in
New Britain during the first six
months of 1925 occurred to expert
enced drivers, on a main thorough
fare, away from intersecting streets,
in the broad daylight and in pleas
ant weather, according to Fred j.
Whetstine. chief clerk for the de-
partment of motor vehicles, who
addressed the regular weekly meet
ing of the New Britain Lions club
today and spoke on motor law Yio-
lations.
Prior to Mr.. Whetstine's talk,
about 20 members of the Lion club
reported having observed 90 viola
tions of motor laws in the city Of
New Britain within one week.
These reports included four cars
seen on the wrong side of the street,
43 with only one headlight, 81 with
out tail lights, one with the red
glass missing on the tail light, three
who failed to give proper signals,
one for cutting in" and two for
racing between this city and Hart
ford. One jitney was reported trav-
cling without lights. Mr.. Whetstine
advised turning the figures over to
Chief of Police Hart.
In opening his talk Mr.. Whetstine
requested motorists to get their ap-
! pliCations for renewal of registra-
tions into the office of the depart
ment as early as possible. He said
the department expects a tremen-
, dous rush this year. Those who
wish to retain their present num-
! bers or to get lower numbers must
have their applications in before
Nov. Is. he stated.
Some extent of the clerical work
done by the department Of motor
vehicles Is indicated by the fact that
225 clerks are employed in the de-
partm6nt. He said applications are
coming in at the rate of zoo daily
now, but that at this rate there will
be no chance of getting the work
completed by January ]. Lie said
they must come in at the rate of
Two or three thousand daily.
365 Accidents Here in Six Months
During the period of 1925 to July
l, he said there were 365 automo-
! bile accidents in New Britain. OF
his number 210 occurred on main
thoroughfares and 154 at intersect-
/ ing streets. The reports show that
at least 240 of them occurred in the
! daylight and 115 at night. The
damage is listed as follows: Proper
ty damage sustained by 237 cars
! personal injury to 81, property dam
age and personal injury to 10. Six
persons, four of them being chill.
dren, were killed, and eight animals
were killed. Injuries to children to-
tailed "a and to adults SO. Injuries
to pedestr rians numbered 9S and tC
occupants of cars 33.
The number of accidents In New
Britain in six months is listed as
follows: Auto VS.. auto, 1856; three.
car collisions, s; auto VS.. pedestrian
S5; QUITO va trolley, IS; auto VS.. bi,
cycle, Is; auto VS., team. A; auto VS.
standing object, "a; auto VS.. rail
road gates, 5; auto VS.. passenger, .
auto VS.. animals, 2; in one case two
cars collidcd with telephone pol,
at the same time and in one cas-,
two cars collided with the sam,
trolley,
Veteran Drivers In Majority
Drivers of the cars figuring II
these accidents have peen as fol
I lows: Those holding licenses les
than six months, 27; from 81
months to one year, 4; from one t.
1--WE years, 1928; from five to i
years, 80, and over 10 years, IL
Others are not indicated.
Causes of Accidents.
Causes of accidents in New Britain
within the same period are classified
as follows: Recklessness of opera
tor 2%9, under the following sub
classification: Inatteution so, failur,
10 grant right of way As, skiddint
43, ineXperience 10, careless backin,
4, driving on wrong side of roa(
/ II, failure to signal Is, cutting in 4
! confusion S, runaway cars 3, intoxi
cation 3, following to closely tn,
car ahead ., cutting corners l. pass
ing on the wrong side of another
car l.
! Under the classification Of care.
+ lessness of child pedestrians Of which
there were 81. is the following list
Crossing street rs, stepping from
, behind another car or some Other
object II, playing in street 5, coast,
ing 8, confusion /.
Carelessness of adult pedestrians
totalling IL, are as follows: Cross,
ing street 6. ccasting l, confusion l
boarding or leaving trolleyI, intoxi
cation l, stepping from behind an
other vehicle l.
| Carelessness Of contributors Il
listed as follows: Animals IS, bi
cyclists IL. unknown operator II
motorman 5, gateman or flagman 4
Six accidents were caused by defec
tive equipment, one being due t,
defective brakes, one to glarint
headlights two to defective steerinj
/ gear and two to other defects.
-Four occupants of cars were In
jured by their own carelessness. twt
Of them for jumping on or of NOV
ing vehicles and two for other rea
sons rot mentioned.