Smyrna times., 1929-02-27
DELAWARE HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS
INCREASED DURING YEAR 1928
INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS AT
TRIBUTED TO MORE TRAFFIC
State Police Reports Show Deaths in
January Were Three Times Those
of Some Months Last Year


of Some Months Last Year
The open winter is given as one of
the reasons why the number of per
sons killed in highway accidents
during January were tripled, the num-
ber injured quadrpled and the number
Of accidents nearly doubled, as COM
pared with January, 1928. These facts
became known last week with the is
suance Of the State Highway police
report of highway accidents for the
past month. According to weather
records, there were about two weeks
in January year ago, when because
of the snow, traffic was light. Only
those who were compelled to go by
automobile used the highways, and
wherever it was possible, those who
had to go from town to town on busi-
ness used the railroads rather than
take a chance on travelling by auto.
This year however, the weather has
been open and there has been little
snow. Six persons paid for their reck-
lessness or that of someone else as
compared with two last January
There were al persons injured in 81
accidents last month as compared with
10 injured and "a accidents in Janu-
airy, 1928. The property damage is
just 100 per cent more so far this year
The same maintains practically in all
details of the report. There were
three persons killed in motor vehicle
accidents and three pedestrians this
year as against two fatalities in mo
tor vehicles last year. There were 90
persons slightly hurt this year which
is six times greater than last year.
Eight pedestrians were hurt slightly
and two seriously which is an increase
Of 300 per cent over last year. Most
of the mishaps occurred in dry wealth
er, and 40 of them were on a straight
away stretch and only four at surves.
There were 13- mishaps at intersec
tions and three at railroad crossings.
For the first time since the highway
police have been making monthly rec
ords, some other reason other than
recklessness heads the list Of causes.
This January, there were eight charg-
ed against inattention and jay walk
ing and only seven for reckless driv-
ing. The number of mishaps charged
to drunken drivers increased and al
most 400 per cent with seven mishaps
this year against two last year. There
were six charged to skidding. three to
cutting in, three to loss Of control and
three to driving too close. Two were
caused by glaring headlights and two
for driving while asleep. There was
one each caused by no tail light, OBJ
struction on the road, bad eyesight,
parking without lights, no lights on
wagon and running off the highway.
Fridays during January were the saf-
est days to drive, there being but four
accidents on that day as compared
with y on Tuesday, II on Thursday,
10 on Saturday and eight each on Sun
day, Monday and Wednesday. This is
another change from what has gener-
ally maintained in the past four years
when Wednesday has been the safest
day, as far as motoring was concern
ed. The greatest number of mishaps
occurred on clear days, there being 81
as compared with on cloudy and fog
gy days and on rainy days. Twenty
six Of the mishaps were between auto
mobiles; 13 with pedestrians; IL with
fixed objects; three with trains, five in
non-collision accidents, and two with
horse-drawn vehicles. Accidents with
passenger cars led the list with n vic
tins as against 10 with commercial
cars. Mishaps on State highways
heads the list with AZ; six on country
roads; in towns and at railroad
crossings. Still another change in
conditions that have prevailed for the
past four years, is shown in the fact
that there were 81 mishaps during
darkness and only 80 in daylight. The
most dangerous hour for travel was
from s to in the evening. The hour
from 5 to being second with and
four to five, third with six accidents.
That woman drivers are becoming
more expert and careful is shown by
the fact that but one woman driver
was involved in an accident during
January as against SO men. The fig
ures for year ago were four women
and 48 men. There were SO motorists
ranging from 25 to "a years of age in
volved in accidents, II were from 18
to "a years, who were 55 years and
over, and under eighteen years. The
experienced driver with more than two
years training headed the list in the
number Of accidents, with three
months experience, on accident.