The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1934-01-25
LAST YEARS DEATHS FROM
AUTO ACCIDENTS, $4,000
$4,000 Were Injured-Faulty
Cars Blamed for Fatalities

The number of persons killed in au-
tomobile accidents in this country last
year is estimated at around $4,000,
exclusive of motorcycle accidents, it
has been determined by the Travellers
Insurance Company of Hartford, Con-
necticut, on the basis of preliminary
reports received from more than a
majority of the States.
This loss of life compares with
29,196 in 1882 and is an increase of
around 2.5 per cent. The upward
trend in deaths from automobile ac-
cidents was broken in 1882 for the
first time since automobile accidents
have become a serious problem, and
the record for last year shows that
the upward trend was renewed, begin
ming in June.
$4,000 Hurt Last Year
The number of automobile accidents
last year is estimated at 100000 and
the number of persons injured at
nearly $4,000. The gain in fatalities
per accident amounted to SO per
cent, and the number of injuries per
accident increased % per cent, while
deaths and injuries combined per ac-
cident increased "a per cent.
The gain in automobile accident
fatalities, as well as injuries per ac-
cident for last year, occurred despite
an indicated drop of 1.6 per cent. in
the total number of motor vehicles
registered and a decrease of nearly 2
per cent. in the consumption of gaso-
line by motor vehicles.
By geographical divisions it is
shown, on the basis of available fig
ures, that automobile accident fatal
ties increased 6.8 per cent. in the
New England States, So per cent in
the East South Central States, 2.8 per
cent. in the West South Central; 81
per cent, Mountain States; 1928 per
cent, West North Central; % per
cent, South Atlantic, and just under l
per cent. for the Pacific Coast States.
Decreases were recorded only in the
Middle Atlantic States, where the
drop in deaths was 81 per cent, and
in the East North Central group of
States, where the decrease was 3.5 per
cent.
81 Per Cent. Pedestrians
An analysis of various State re-
ports indicates that around 81 per
cent. of all the accidents were of the
neutrality-suspicious. type, although
the number Of pedestrians killed ap-
proximated 45 per cent of the $4,000
fatalities. Collisions between auto
mobiles accounted for nearly As per
cent. of all the accidents, but these re-
suited in less than one-fourth of all
the fatalities.
Of all types of faulty driving by
motorists, that of operating too fast
for existing conditions proved the
most hazardous, as usual. Nearly one
third of the deaths due to faulty driv-
ing resulted from this cause. Among
pedestrians, slightly more than one
fifth of those killed were fatally in
jured while crossing at intersections
and nearly one-fourth became victims
while crossing between intersections.
Nearly II per cent. of the pedestrians
killed were involved in automobile ac-
cidents along rural highways.
One of the factors regarded as hav-
ing an important bearing on the in
crease in deaths from automobile ac-
cidents last year was the per cent. of
defective vehicles in operation. A
study Of State reports in this respect
indicates that approximately three out
of every four vehicles in use last year
were defective in some mechanical de-
tail, and further study disclosed that
the ratio of defective cars involved in
fatal accidents to defective cars in
volved in all accidents increased s
per cent.