Evening star., 1935-01-13

r am frequently requested to ex-
plain why there has been such an
increase in fatal accidents during the
past year. MY answer is that there
Is no one thing that can be singled
out as the cause Of this increase. No
one knows the answer to this ques-
ton. If they did. the remedy would
be Immediately applied. The same
situation exists in nearly every large
city In the United States that has ex-
listed during the last year in the Dis
trict. The total fatalities for the
United States have gone from about
80 900 in 1893 to about $4,000 during
1894. This is an appalling situation.
and there Is no doubt that the answer
to this question must be found and
proper remedies applied.
Population Increased.
One cause Of the increase Is no
doubt due to increased population in
the District, increased registration Of
about 1900 cars, increased traffic
and increased speed. Nearly all the
new cars which have been sold dur
ing the past year in the District are
capable of much higher speeds than
the old cars. Many of these cars are
advertised to travel at speeds Of from
80 to 80 miles an hour, and this ad-
Vertisement of these speeds has no
doubt had some effect in increasing
the average speeds of vehicles on the
streets.
"A study made during the year in
dicates that pedestrians were involved
in about rs per cent of all the fatali-
ties. and that motor vehicles were in
volved in about IS per cent Of the
fatality cases. Analysing the reports
on each fatality, we find that about
81 per cent Of the pedestrians involved
were at fault, and that 40 per cent Of
the operators Of motor vehicles were
at fault Dividing these faults In
their various classifications, we find
that of the 81 per cent of pedestrians
Who were at fault. about one-half Of
them were crossing the street not at
crosswalks, 81 per cent were walking
or playing in the street. 10 per cent
we're intoxicated, II per cent stepped
from blind parked cars and per
cent were crossing against signal. OF
the 40 per cent where the operators
we're considered to be at fault, 20 per
cent were driving recklessly, Is per
cent were speeding, 18 per cent failed
to exercise proper care at an inter-
section, 13 per cent failed to exercise
proper care in approaching pedestrian
or obstruction in street, per cent Of
the drivers were intoxicated, 4 per
cent failed to stop at stop signs, 4
~ hn %&
have defective brakes. 4 per cent Of
the drivers were making improper
turns, 2 per cent were making i'm
proper use Of the highway, 2 per cent
we're backing and II per cent were
violating other miscellaneous regula-
lions.
During the fiscal year 1894 IA child
pedestrians were killed, II adult
pedestrians were killed, ~ occupants
Of motor vehicles were killed and one
Mcyclist. About these same propoy-
lions were killed during the calendar
year just closed, although the total
amounted to 135 persons killed.
It will be seen from the above that
the principal causes on the part of
pedestrians were crossing not at cross
walks, walking and playing in the
street, and that where the vehicle
driver was at fault reckless driving
and speeding were the principal
causes.
Too Much Speed.
"A study of the spot map of the
District shows that most Of the per-
sonal injuries and fatalities occurred
Immediately surrounding the congest-
ed district and on the outlying boule-
wards, which Is further proof that too
much speed for conditions Is the prin-
cipal cause Of trafhc fatalities. No
doubt the change in the laws affecting
the sale and use Of intoxicated liquor
has had some effect in increasing traf-
f1c fatalities. The above study indi-
Gates, however, that it is about two
and one-half times more dangerous to
walk while intoxicated than 1t Is to
drive while intoxicated.
"A recent pedestrian study in Wash
1pgton made at every signal-con-
trolled intersection in the congested
area indicates that SO per cent Of the
the street against the red signal;
240.61l Of the 664.497 pedestrians
who were checked crossed the street
against the red signal. During the
fiscal year 1884 three deaths and 122
injuries were sustained by people
crossing against the signal, as against
2. deaths and 81 injuries sustained
by those crossing with the signal. In
the first II months Of 1884 four pedes-
trians were killed while crossing
against the signal. These figures
indicate that although signals do not
afford absolute protection to pedes-
trians at an intersection, it Is 80
times more dangerous to cross against
the signal and 2.6 times more deadly.
at no place in this area is q pedes-
trian required to wait over 80 seconds
before receiving the signal and the
crossing space Is adequate for the
vdume, except for q few hours on
Saturday afternoon. It frequently
happens, however, that the pedestrian
Is unable to make use Of the full time
al lowed by the green Light and that
he Is forced back to the curb by ve-
hicles making right and left turns.
Under the regulations Is now writ
ten the pedestrian has the right of
way when he Is crossing on proper
signal. II any one Is to wait It must
be. the driver and not the pedestrian.
Jay-Walkers Blamed.
Each year the largest percentage
of injuries and deaths Is received by
persons who cross not at crosswalks.
A survey conducted on blocks Of vary
IND lengths with and without signals
at the intersections indicates that
only ca per cent OF tho people using
the sidewalks cross the street not at
the crosswalk, but during the fiscal
year 1894 81 deaths and 44S injuries
were sustained by jay-walkers and II
deaths and $40 injuries by those who
crossed ct Intersections. During the
first II months Of 1884 - persons
were killed while jay-walking. This
meant that Q jay-walker Is n times
more, likely to be injured and 81
tinaes. more likely to be Killed than the
peIsou who crosses at Intersections.
OVER n per cent Of pedestrians killed
while crossing the street are those who