Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
In the Motor World
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.

~ pICoS1NC PoAAPAAACo los
n been published recently by
one Of the large insurance
companies. 1t is entitled
'Worse Than War;" and contains
interesting statistics on 1905 loss
of life and limb in automobile &C
cidents. According to the publica-
ton $4,000 were killed and 962, 1926
injured in SS5,250 automobile &C
cdents last year. 1t is pointed out
that 5O,510 members Of the Ameri-
can EXpeditionary Forces were
killed in action and died OF
wounds during 18 months OF the
World War, and that $4,000 were
killed in automobile accidents in
the past Is months.
Drivers of automobiles were re-
sponsible last year for more than
three times as many motor vehicle
accidents in this country as
pedestrians, more than two times
the number of fatalities and for
approximately four times the
number of persons injured. While
the major portion of the blame Is
thus placed upon motorists Tor
the country's automobile accident
toll which last year cost the lives
of $4,000 and included the injur-
ing of more than 100000, the
pedestrian is more often at fault
in the accidents involving him
self, according to an analysis OF
State reports extended through
mathematical calculation to cover
the entire country.
Responsibility Divided.
Out of a total of more than
100000 accidents between auto
mobiles and pedestrians, the &C
tons of drivers were definitely
responsible for around $4,000 OF
the mishaps, and the pedestrian
for nearly 10000. In the remain
ing 10000 accidents between cars
and pedestrians the responsibility
was shared jointly.
More than 1000 pedestrians met
death during the year primarily
through their own fault, while
approximately 1900 other pedes-
TRANS were killed because OF the
actions of drivers. In the death OF
more than 5000 other pedestrians
the responsibility was shared
jointly.
The injuring of more than $780,
600 persons was found traceable to
the actions of pedestrians, and
more than $4,000 to motorists,
with more than 10000 injuries
due to the actions Of both.
In all other motor vehicle &C
cidentS, excluding pedestrians, 1t
was found that the driver was
responsible for around 100000
miShaps, or nearly nine times the
number in which the extent of
responsibility was doubtful. The
fatalities resulting from the mis-
haps caused by drivers numbered
nearly $4,000, or nearly ave times
the deaths caused by the mishaps
of doubtful responsibility. The
injuries traceable to motorists
numbered more than $4,000, as
against $4,000 involving doubtful
responsibility.
Wrongs of Pedestrians.
The things which pedestrians
do that are wrong include crossing
Intersections against signal lights,
crossing intersections diagonally,
crossing In the middle of a block,
hitch hiking, darting out into
thoroughfares from behind parked
cars, and walking with instead of
against the traffic stream on dark
highways after shutdown. Such
actions caused the death Of more
than 5000 last year.
Actions of motorists which place
the responsibility upon them in
volve driving into pedestrians
crossing intersections with the
signal in their favor, hitting per-
sons getting on or of street cars
or waiting In safety aisles, hitting
persons engaged in work on road
ways or beside roadways. In such
instances as when persons are
walking in roadways, crossing in
.terSections without signals, get
ting on or OF vehicles other than
automobiles and street cars and
IN the playing of children in
streets the responsibility Is not
always clear-cut.
The fault is indicated as be-
longing to the motorist in the col
iision Of cars, the collision of cars
with fixed objects, and in non
collision mishaps. The fault Is
not clear-cut in the mishaps In
volving the collision of cars with
animal-drawn vehicles, trains and
street cars, motorcycles and BIZ
cycles.
Nine out Of every 10 of the 32,-
500 persons killed in automobile
accidents in this country last year
were the victims of drivers who
had more than years experience
behind the wheel, and 81 out of
every 100 fatalities involved a
driver over the age Of 10, accident
statistics disclose.
Experienced at Fault.
From reports of States compiled
data shows that persons with less
than three months of driving ex-
perience were involved in only 2
per cent of the fatalities and not
quite 2 per cent Of the non fatal
accidents involving nearly 1900
900 cars. Operators of cars with
experience between three and six
months figured in per cent of
the fatalities and / per cent OF
the non-fatal miShaps. Drivers
with from six months to a year of
experience were involved in ap-
proximately 2 per cent of the
fatalities and also the non fatal
accidents.
More than $4,000 Of the deaths
during the year, it is shown by the
study, involved drivers of expert
ence, while more than 100000