Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08


taXicab driver-are given a bet
ter bill of health than the op-
orator of pleasure cars in an ex-
hauStive survey of the subject OF
automobile accidents, the result
of which has just been published
by the policyholderS' service bu-
reau of one of the large national
insurance companies. The inSur-
ance company undertook the sur
vey at the request Of the Ma
tional Association of Taxicab
Owners, and has co-ordinated the
report as a part of it's own cam
paign for the reduction of acct
dents of all types. The findings
are published in a pamphlet en-
titled Preventing TaXicab Acct
dents, a Study of Safety Activi-
ties in the Taxicab Industry"
Groups Analysed.
AS a part Of the survey, the
records OF group of companies
were analysed. This group OPP
Grated 1919 cabs last year, cover
ing a total of 51,212,768 miles. The
cabs were involved in 1888 acct
dents. SiXty-seven per cent of
these accidents resulted from COL
liSion with private cars, occurring
at the rate of 1885 per cent per
100000 miles. Collision between
taxicabS only occurred at the rate
of 1.08 per 100000 miles; between
taXicabs and pedestrians at the
rate of 1.O4 per 100000 miles,
while between taxicabS and trucks
the rate was only 0.59.
The accident experience of the
taXicab industry is but a small
contributing factor to the con-
Stantly increasing motor vehicle
accident record of the country,
says the report. According to
the United States Census Bureau,
the National Safety Council and
other sources, $4,000 motor vehic-
lie fatalities occurred in 1880, an
increase of 81 per cent over 1929.
The rate of these fatalities per
100000 registered motor vehicles
rose from 1178 for 1929 to 1914
in 1890; while the rate per 100000
population increased from 25.7 in
1929 to 1858 in 1880. Using the
generally accepted ratio OF 35
non-fatal injuries to one death,
it is estimated that more than
one million persons are injured
annually through motor vehicle
accidents.
26,5O1,443 Registered Autos.
Based upon estimates of the
National Association of Taxicab
Owners, 10000 of the 26,501 ,443
registered automobiles in the
United States are taxicabS. This
figures out at the rate of $50 other
cars for each taxicab. The an
nual taxicab mileage is estimated
at two and one-f1fth billion miles,
or approximately l per cent of
the total motor vehicle mileage
in the country.
In New York City, according to
the report of the mayors COM
mission on taxicabs, Of the 1877
O62 motor vehicles registered,
19,507 or 2.6 per cent are taxi
cabs. But of the total motor
vehicle mileage of the city, esti-
mated at 2,8O0,000,000 miles in
1929, 80 per cent or 100000, 900
miles has been given as the cab
mileage for the year. The COM
mission pointed out that the aver
age cab driver in New York is,
perhaps, a safer driver than the
average operator Of a private car.
In the entire State of New York,
according to the 1880 report of
the Bureau of Motor Vehicles,
per cent of the 3,345 motor
vehicles involved in fatal acct
dents were taxicabS, while 60.7
per cent we're private cars. Sim
ilarly, IT'S per cent of the 128,-
TIA motor vehicles involved in ac-
cidents resulting in non-fatal in
iuries were cabs and IS per cent
were privately owned cars.
The economic waste in the
United States incident to motor
vehicle accidents, in 1881, 1t Is
estimated by the National Safety
Council, will reach 100000
Considering an amount which
can be allocated proportionatelv
to taXicabs, it will be noted that
a heavy charge is borne by this
industry.
In making the survey, the rec
ords of certain individual drivers
were also reviewed to determine
to what extent these employees
were accident-prone, the reasons
for this condition and the meth
DDS which might be used to over
come it.
Share of Accidents.
Among the 1924 drivers of a
group of taXicab companies, 1t
was found that one third of the
drivers had two-thirds of the
1871 accidents experienced by the
group. Studying the group a lit
tie closer it was found that one
fifth of the drivers had one-hal1
of the accidents and only one
tenth experienced as many as
one-third of the accidents. The
report contains the stories OF
several high accident drivers and
the steps taken to cure their &C
cident proneness.
The organizations visited dur
ing the study operated 1919 cabs
last year, covering 51,212,768 cab
miles and employing 3.764 drivers
A total of 1893 accidents were
involved. OF these accidents, the
study reports, it was found that
collisions with private motor
vehicles resulted in the highest
rate, being nearly 16 accidents
per 100000 miles and represent
ing 67.1 per cent of the total re-
ported accidents. Non-colliSior
motor DoN'Ts1