New Britain herald., 1929-02-28
fatal ACCIDENTS
INCREASING FAST
Deaths Up II P. C., Collisions
SP. G. During 1928

Hartford, Feb. 2S Rp-Fatal acct
dents are increasing about five times
as fast as all other types of motor
vehicle accident, state motor vehi-
Gle department records show. Auto
mobile collisions of all kinds in
creased less than 5 per cent in the
calendar year 1928, while fatalities
advanced more than II per cent.
Both pedestrians and car occu-
pants suffered heavy casualties AL
though more pedestrians were killed
the rate OF increase for the year was
about the same for the two groups.
| There were 254 pedestrians killed. or
60 more than in 1927, and 212 car
occupants. an increase of 81. repre-
senting an approximate 80 per cent
increase for each type.
There was slightly lower increase
in the number of child pedestrians
killed last year than for several
years past. AS an offset. however.
there was "a per cent increase in
the number Of adult pedestrians
killed, a rate greater than at any
thine for five years. The children
killed included 80 girls and - boys.
Property Damage $4,000
Besides the loss of life the result
of these fatal accidents was injury
to II pedestrians and 1873 occupants
and property damage of more than
$4,000. There were 80 accidents
! which resulted in damage of more
| than 500, and the others caused
| property loss of from $40 to 800.
OF the 419 accidents. 252 occur
red when road surfaces were con-
sidered good" 174 were on straight
aways or clear courses. 2S3 were in
clear weather and 1872 during the
daylight hours. Collisions at inter-
sections resulted in 119 fatalities.
Forty-four accidents we're on hills,
20 at curves and 16 at railroad
grade crossings.
1t has been determined by the de-
partment that the drivers Of 1874 cars
| involved were on pleasure trips
when the fatalities occurred. About
$50 cars were being used for bust
ness purposes. Descriptions of all
cars involved reveal that 33S were
private passenger vehicles. "a were
commercial types, five were jitneys.
six taxicabs and three were being
used by dealers. There were 81
motorcycles involved. Approximately
one-third, or 1911, were owned in the
towns where the accidents occurred:
215 were out of town cars. and So
were from other states.
81 Due to Slippery Roads
| There were 81 Of these accidents
when road surfaces were described
as wet, icy. oily, rough. muddy or
I sandy. Sixty-seven occurred in
stormy weather and 210 happened at
night.
Men were involved much more
frequently. as drivers, than women.
OF the 463 operators. $50 were men.
There were 212 car owners involved.
/ three part owners, 81 employees and
two lessees. Responsibility for fatali-
ties according to the ages Of drivers
was about equally divided among the
various age groups considering the
number in each classification licens-
ed to drive. Twelve drivers were
from 16 to Is years old: II from IS
to 20; 1876 from 20 to 80; los from
30 to 40; 81 from 40 to 50; 80 from
so to 60: and - over 60. There two
drivers more than 20 years old.
Experience. apparently. had little
to do with the results There were
10 drivers with less than months
experience: II with less than a year:
1877 with from to years: SIS with
from 5 to 10 years. and II with more
than 10 years.
Liability insurance was carried by
the owners of 215 cars and there was