Smyrna times., 1929-09-25
81 KILLED ON HIGHWAYS IN
STATE IN EIGHT MONTHS
INCREASE OF TEN OVER SAME
PERIOD LAST YEAR
Jay Walking, Excessive Speed and
Reclxlessness Are the Chief
Causes For Accidents

SduS6S FOr ACC1uentS
Jay Walking on the highways,
excessive speed and recklessness
are the chief causes for the motor
accidents on thoroughfares of the
state that are constantly increas-
ing, according to c. c. Reynolds,
superintendent of the state police.
The report of state accidents for
the first eight months of this year
show that more persons have
been killed this year than for the
same period last year. The total
last year was 27 and this it is 81.
Chief Engineer w. w. Mack and
Superintendent Reynolds are MAX
ing plans for a jay walking cam
paign, particularly for the high
ways, where the number of pedes-
trians being killed is on the in
crease. Last year large number
of persons were killed in Novem-
Der and December, and this cam
paign coming before these months,
will, it is hoped, bring about more
caution among pedestrians. The
number of accidents so far this
year was SIS, or 1O2 more than
last year. Those injured total 415
or 90 in excess of last year. The
property damage was S104,79 this
year as against $83, ,646 last year
Last year there were s pedestrians
killed. This has leaped to 10 this
year. Fifteen were killed in motor
vehicle accidents and 8 at railroad
crossings. There were 325 slight
ly hurt and 25 seriously. Among
pedestrians there were 81 slight
ly hurt and 8 seriously, both in
creases over last year. There
were AGO accidents in dry weather
and lis in wet. Straight away
roads attracted speeding for the
most accidents, a total of 352. In
tersections claimed 158, railroad
crossings IL, curves A and street
car crossings 8. Recklessness was
overwhelmingly in the majority as
to the cause of mishaps with 129.
Inattention caused 80, jay walking
SO, drunken drivers 81, which is an
increase of IA over year ago.
Loss of control caused %, skidding
26, failing to stop while entering
main highway "a, failing to signal
19, running off roadway II, driv-
ing too close 16, and driving on
wrong side of road 16. Mishaps
caused by sleeping drivers resulted
in 15 accidents, cutting in ID, OBJ
structed view s, inexperienced op-
orator s, breaking OF steering gear
Il, bad brakes Z, and passing with
out proper clearance Z. Glaring
headlights caused mishaps,
drunken pedestrians 5, tire blow
out 5, no tail light 4, animals on
highway 4, parking no lights 8, op-
orator confused 3, wagon no light
3, and no lights on auto 2. Pas
senger grabbing steering wheel 3,
and one each were charged against
obstruction on road, passing on
right, bad eyesight, breaking of
radius rod, bicycle no light, axle
breaking and parking on concrete.
Passenger cars and not trucks
were responsible for the most ac-
cidents. There were IT'S passenger
cars involved in nlishaps, which is
175 more than year ago. With
trucks there were 80 involved in
accidents, five less than year
ago. Omnibuses were charged with
13 accidents, motorcycles II, wag-
ons 10 and bicycles 4. There were
452 accidents on State highways,
81 on county roads, 46 in towns,
II at railroad crossings and 8 at
street car crossings. The most
mishaps occurred in the daytime
with a total of 349 as against 226
at night, both an increase over
year ago. Sunday heads the list
of most dangerous days with 123
accidents and Saturday next with
ia. Then Thursday with rs,
Tuesday rs, Friday SO, Wednesday
50 and Monday 81. This is a
change from most years, because
Wednesday has been the safest
day of the seven in which to drive.
Most of the collisions occurred on
clear days with 428. There were
so in the rain, Al in cloudy wealth
er, % in fog and in snow. an in
crease all along the line except in
snow. The type of accidents were
apportioned as fellows: 335 to col
lision with auto, SO non-collision
accident, SO with fixed object, 76
with pedestrians, 10 with horse
drawn vehicle, IL with train, 8
with street cars, 4 with bicycles,
2 with motorcycles and 4 with
animals. The hour between and
z in the evening; was the most
dauO time fO drive with "a