Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02
AUTO DEATH RATES
SHOW STEADY GAIN
Yearly Increase of 5000
Seen in Commerce
Reports.

The Department of Commerce an
nounces that the death registration
area in continental United States ac-
cidents in which automobiles were in
volved caused 1851 deaths in 1929
with a death rate Of 25.4 per 100000
population. OF this total, collisions OF
automobiles with railroad trains and
with street cars were responsible Tor
1858 and 507 deaths, respectively, which,
If excluded. would leave 27,o66 deaths
with death rate of 1913.
The death registration area in 1929
was composed of As States, the Dis
trict of Columbia and nine registration
cities in nonregistration States and IN
cluded 95.7 per cent of the total popu-
lation of continental United States.
Assuming that the same death rate
would hold true for the remainder of
the continental United States, the
number of deaths in 1929 from acct
dents in which automobiles were in
volved is estimated as 30,858 for the
whole country, as compared with an
estimate of 27.6l8 for the year 1928.
These figures indicate an increase OF
over 5000 deaths from this cause in a
single year.
Most Deaths in New York.
Comparing the States, the greatest
number of deaths occurred in New
York, 1892: followed by Pennsylvania.
1881; Ohio, 1880. and California, 2,27l.
Nevada has the highest death rate per
100000 population, 5l.l. Next In order 81
are California, ALP; Arizona, 1852;
Florida, 355; Ohio, 35.3; Indiana, BAL,
and Wyoming, 1877.
It is gratifying to observe, however.
that if collisions with railrad trains
and street cars are excluded the follow
ing eight States, Delaware, Idaho, ILL
nois, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island,
Vermont and Wisconsin had fewer
deaths than in the previous year.
The number of automobile deaths
reported for each State and city in
cludes those due to accidents outside
of the limits of the city or State. If
these and collisions with railroad trains
and streets cars are excluded, the cities
would rank as follows: New York City,
with 1923 deaths; Chicago. 1923; Los
Angeles, $50; Detroit, 500, and Phila-
delphia, $50, Other cities with over
100 deaths are Cleveland, 294; st.
Louis. 152; Pittsburgh, $50; Baltimore,
143; Buffalo, 1876; Boston, 1873; Gin
cinnati, 121: Newark, l2l indianapolis,
107; San Francisco, LOT, and New
Orleans, 103. Cities with the highest
death rates per 100000 population,
however. are youngstown, 42.4; Gary,
AZ, GdulUGL, 90, Lung bSdCII, oOi,
Miami, 35.7; Cleveland, 32.9; Los
Angeles, 1913; Canton, 32.6, and Co
lumbus, 3o.4. The lowest rate is that
for New Bedford, TO.
Chicago Grade Deaths High.
Chicago had the greatest number of
deaths from collisions of automobiles
with railroad trains (26) and with
street cars 600. Next in order are
Gary with IA deaths from collision of
automobiles with railroad trains and
Los Angeles with 10 deaths from coll
lisions of automobiles with street cars.
An interesting phase of the report is
the extent to which accidents outside
Of the city limits form Of the total
crude death rate. In the case of
Albany, Camden, Fort Wayne, Grand
Rapids, Hartford, Springfield, Mass,
and Trenton, the number of these ac-
clients play a very important part In
the total number Of deaths from auto
mobile accidents.