Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10

of the miShapS producing injuries.
Records indicate that men we're
behind the wheel in SO out OF
every 100 cars in accidents, with
women being the drivers in the
remaining seven. While these f1g-
ures may or may not be indicative
of the ratio of man drivers to
woman drivers, male drivers were
behind the wheel in "a per cent OF
the cars in fatal accidents and
women in the remaining 6 per
cent. Men operated SO per cent OF
I the cars in non-fatal accidents
and women per cent. Whether
the better record of woman drivers
as to fatalities is due to better
driving, or not being behind the
wheel for as many miles as men on
the average, is not indicated by
the records.
Approximately n per cent OF all
the motor vehicles in accidents
were cars of the private passenger
type, though such cars represented
81 per cent of the total motor
vehicle registration in the country.
Private passenger cars last year
were involved in more than 70
per cent of the fatal accidents
and in n per cent of the non-fatal
mishap:. The commercial car, ex-
Guiding the taxi and omnibus,
comprised IL per cent Of all motor
vehicles in accidents. and with its
percentage of total registration
less than 13 per cent, 1t was in
volved in Is per cent OF the fatal
mishaps and in IL per cent OF the
non-fatal accidents.
Principal Violations.
Three specific driving violations
by operators of automobiles were
responsible last year for 60 per
cent of the accidents due to i'm
proper driving, while the actions
of pedestrians crossing thorough
fares were contributing factors in
more than 81 per cent of the mis-
haps involving themselves. A
total of $4,000 persons were killed
and more than 100000 hurt in
automobile accidents last year.
The three specific violations by
drivers. according to an analysis
of State reports, were exceeding
the speed limit, driving on the
wrong side Of the road and fail
ing to grant the right of way.
The actions of pedestrians at in
tersections and on streets added
to the confusion of traffic condi-
tons in busy districts.
Exceeding the speed limit, or
driving too fast for existing con-
ditionS. was responsible for 81 per
cent of all automobile accidents
due to improper driving. Sixteen
per cent of the miShaps were due
to driving on the wrong side of
the road, while failure to grant
right of way caused 81 per cent
of the accidents.
The same three violations fig
ured in nearly three-fifths of the
automobile deaths caused by i'm
proper driving. Exceeding the
speed limit was responsible for 81
per cent of the fatalities, driving
on the wrong side of the road, IL
per cent, AMI failure to grant the
right of way, Is per cent. The
same violations caused around SO
per cent of the total number of
persons injured as result of the
actions of drivers. Exceeding the
speed limit was responsible for 81
per cent of the injured, driving on
the wrong side of the street, 16
per cent, and failure to grant the
right of way, 80 per cent.
Average Age of Victims.
More than twice as many chill
drep between the ages of and IA
were killed in automobile acct
dents last year in the United
States than under the age of S,
and of the total number of child
fatalities, nearly a sixth of the
victims were the occupants Of cars
at the time of the accident, 1t Is
revealed by an analysis.
Eighteen per cent of the chill
dren under the age Of 5 killed in
automobile n1ishapS were riding
in cars at the time of the fatality,
while in the age group of S to IA
the percentage. was IA per cent
In more than 80 per cent of the
child fatalities in both age CLASH
f1cations the children were walk
ing or running across or in streets
or highways when fatally injured.
Among persons Of Is to 81 years
OF age nearly 80 per cent of the
death victims were pedestrians,
while more than 81 per cent in
volved occupants Of cars. The three
principal types of accidents in the
death Of the ST per cent were col
lisions of automobiles, the collision
of cars with fixed objects and
non-collision accidents. Among
persons over the age of 81 fatali-
ties included pedestrians to the
extent of nearly IS per cent.
More than a fifth of all persons
injured in automobile accidents
last year were under the age Of
IS. The victims by number in
cluded more than $4,000 children
under the age of S, and more than
10000 over that age but under
IS. Nearly a third of the children
injured under 5 years of age were
the occupants of cars. while in the
group Of to IA, slightly more
than a fifth were the occupants
of cars.
Seven out of every 10 persons
hurt from IS to 81 years of age
were riding in automobiles, while
among the injured victims over
the age Of 81, fewer than half
were the occupants of cars.
Pedestrians suffering injuries in
the ages of Is to 81 numbered %
per cent, against so per cent In
the ages over 81.
The analysis shows that persons
under the age Of IS and over the
age or 81 comprised 81 per cent
of nedeStrian deaths Numbering