Evening star., 1934-07-29

In an unbiased survey completed
recently by the National Safety Coun-
ell. Inc. Il is stated that increased
travel not John Bsgleycorn. Is the
chief factor IN the growing number OF
deaths by automobile
The survey shows that Vhile liquor
driving k on the increase the per-
eentaaes Of cases involving liquor "a
relatively small In comparison With
other causes.
During the 70 months ending with
March, 1924. according to the survey.
there were II per cent more motor
vehicle deaths than in the previous
l2 months. During the first three
months Of 1884 there we're 90 per
cent more fatalities than in the same
period Of 1888.
Some would believe that these In
creases are due largely 70 the legal
ization OF beer in April, 1888, and TO
the repeal Of prohibition last Decem-
Der. John Earleycorn.' they say, is
at the wheel. Others charge the ac-
cident increases TO higher speeds, the
emergence from storage Of many
worn out cars. and 10 other causes
quite remote from liquor.
A dispassionate survey Of the facts
indicates that driving under the in
fsuence of liquor" has become some
what more prevalent during recent
months, thus constituting an increas-
ing safety problem, but that COM
plete solution OF this particular prob
lem would stiii leave most motor We
hicle accidents unpreyented.
Travel Amount Important
It is often overlooked that the most
important influence on the number Of
motor vehicle accidents is the amount
of motor vehicle travel Fewer cars
travelling few miles definitely means
fewer accidents. This is preliminary
to saying that the IL per cent death
increase in the year ending with
March was accompanied by an in
crease of more than 3 per cent in
gasoline consumption and that the 20
per cent death increase for the first
quarter Of this year was accompanied
by an advance of more than 10 per
cent in gasoline consumption. 1t Is
shown that the trend in gasoline con-
sumption and motor vehicle deaths
follow very much the same months OF
this year as in the previous l2-month
period. Gasoline consumed by mo-
tor vehicles started increasing in
March, 1888, and continued with
slight interruption until August. The
death increase started in April and
continued until October. The death
increases starting in April are seen
10 follow closely the pattern set in
1882 and to be heavily influenced by
the advances in gasoline consumption
that started about the same time.
Likewise. the November-Decemb
January changes look very much the
same at the end of 1888 as the end
of 1892.
The following average death rate
per 5000 COO gallons of gasoline con-
sumption viii be of interest:
April, 1892, to March. 1933..-. 1919
April to December. 1882. ....... 1910
January to March, 1888. .... 1873
April, 1898, 10 March, 1884, ..... 20,4
April to December, l933....... 2o.5
January to March, 1894. ... 1919
32,I60 Motor Deaths.
During the year ending March,
1884, there were 32,l60 motor We
hicle deaths. compared with 28,875
during the previous II months. If
the death rate had been 1879 dur
ing the second IL months, as it
was in the first . of the period
under study. the total fatalities would
have numbered 29,Sl6, or 2,344 fewer
than the number that actually did
occur. Likewise, If the rate of 1873
which prevailed during the first three
months of 1888 had also prevailed
in the first three months of 1884,
there would have been 6,337 deaths,
instead of $3.50, saving of 543 lives.
These comparisons make it clear
that even taking account of the in
creased motor vehicle travel there
have been more fatal motor vehicle
accidents in the past year and in the
past three months than were occurring
previously. These periods Of increase
are those in which liquor restrictions
have been liberalized. Does it follow
that the increases over and above
those that might be expected from
increased travel are chargeable to
drunken driving and to intoxicated
pedestrians? To answer this ques-
tion studies have been made of city
and State accident reports for the
first three months of 1884. compared
with the same period of last year
The method followed was to COM
pare the number of "had-been- drink
ing" drivers and pedestrians with the
total number of drivers and pedes-
trians involved in accidents in the
cities and States for which informa-
ton is available In making these
comparisons it is recognized that not
all cases are reported because of the
reluctance of the victim TO report such
fact about himself and because
policemen and other officials also
hesitate in making a charge of this
character II is felt. however, that
under-reporting is likely to be about
the same one year as another.
Drinking Drivers Higher
The percentages Of "had-been-
drinking drivers and pedestrians are
higher in 1884 than in 1888, the diff
ferences ranging from less than half
of l per cent to nearly per cent
1t is thought that the fatal accidents
are in every caSe too few 10 represent
g reliable comparison
In the States studied there we're
6zo7S drivers involved in non-fatal
accidents III the first three months of
1888 and 6S,5S2 III the first three
months Of 1884 This increase of ap-
proXimately $500 drivers in accidents
was accompanied by an increase OF
46e had -been-drinking" drivers. In
cities only. an increase Of about
1000 drivers in non-fatal accidents
was accompanied by an increase Of
sos "had-been- drinking" drivers
II one combines the fatal accidents
for States and cities not in these
States. there were l64 had been
drinking" drivers IN fatal accidents
during the first three months Of 1888
compared with lss in the same period
Of 1884 II this comparison sccu-