New Britain herald., 1929-12-07
FIGURES FROM HEADQUARTE

entire country for the year 1928, this week let it's findings become known. The registration area in- cluded A states, the District ot Columbia, 10 cities in rcgistra ton states, and GS cities in regis tration states. Although issued II months after the close Of 1928, the fegurcs are remarkably thorough and form a species of governmental census of automobile accidents. They show that in the continental United States there were c3,765 accidental deaths in 1928 charged to automo- bile accidents, but excluding col- lisons with railroad trains and street cars. Railroad grade crossing and trolley car collision deaths are kept separately, the report showing that there were 54o deaths due to collisions of automobiles with street cars and 2,041 deaths due to col lisions with railroad trains. Added to | the other deaths. these make d grand total" of 2G.34S deaths due to automobiles within the registra- ton area. or o3O per 100000 ot population.
 Fancy what howl would go up if the health authorities would per init plague to develop which snuffed out the lives of more than 26,000 people in one year. Or fancy what consternation would cnsuc if an earthquake killed that many people in some city in the United Statcs
 Much food for thought aside from the implications of the cold statistics is procurable from an examination. One cannot help noticing that in the states boasting the finest roads there is the highest ratio of fatal accidents, while states having mo- toriously poor roads have a low automobile mortality rate. Also between the mortality rates in vari- ous cities.
 For instance, California Loasts Of possessing more miles of improved highway than any other state. It is a large state but possesses ribbons of smooth pavement to every corner of it. It has a large percentage of wealthy citizens who spend their balmy climate of southern Califor- mia. Yet it's rate of fatal accidents per 100000 population is SS.5, the highest in the country. Montana, where good roads are novelty, has a rate of 5; in the vlds of Arkansas the rate is only 109, which by the way is startling increase over the rate in 1924, when it was only 2. Evidently Arkansas is going in for more good highways.
 A persons life. is worth less in Camden. x. J., than in any other city in the country, for there the acci- dent ratio is highest. being at the amazing ratio of 66.o per 100 900. Camden is on the highway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City and it's residents had best remain in- doors if they care to live. Bridge port is credited with having a re- markedly low ratio, only 5, but the government compilers state that the estimate of population there is un- satisfactory. Evidently the popuia- ton cstmators in Bridgepor have been claiming an astounding popu- lation, thus reducing the ratio Of accidents. The Hartford ratio is g9G; that of New Haven 9G.1. Other Connecticut cities are not included in the compilation.
 But Connecticut. Of course, is in ciuded. and strange 10 say has a larger ratio Of fatal accidents than it's neighbor, Massachusetts. The Connecticut ratio is given at PA DOT 100 900, steady increase sincH 1924, when the ratio was 1S.4. The Massachusetts ratio is 16.9, having held fairly steady at around tha 2 fiusre for four years preceding There has been much agitation ir ] Massachusetts over automobile f fatalities. but 1t is self evident that | based on population, it is a safel place 10 drive in than Connecticut , unless the 1929 figures show 3 startling reversal of the ratios. So much for the statistics, which without doubt are a sad blemis1 upon the slight value placed upor human life in this machine age Such high rates of fatalities are en, tirely unnecessary and could be avoided by tho exercise of moro stringent means to curb foolish drivers.