The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-14

Hartford, Conn.--Connecticut last year had a rate of death from auto- mobile accidents per 100000 popula- tion that was 2 per cent greater than the average for the entire country, although there were 27 states with rates of death per 100,- 900 population that were better than the average, according to an analy- sis by the Travellers Insurance com- pany which showed that Rhode Island had the best record. Con- necticut's rate of death per 100000 population entitled the state to rank only twenty-eighth in stand ing among all states.
 With 36,099 persons killed in au- tomobile accidents for the entire country last year, Rhode Islands death rate per 100000 population, if 1t had been the average for the country, would have resulted in a saving of more than 17000 lives. If Connecticut's rate of death had prevailed for the entire country, deaths from automobile accidents would have totalled 36,820.
 Connecticut's death rate from au- tomobile accidents per ten million gallons of gasoline, however, was eleventh in standing, IT per cent less than the countrys average. Connecticut was one of 24 states and the District of Columbia that had such death rates that were bet ter than the average, with Rhode Island showing the best experience. If Rhode Islands rate per ten mil- lion gallons of gasoline had been the average experience for the country, the saving in life would have been in excess of 10000.
 Connecticut was also one of "A states and the District of Columbia which last year had rates of death from automobile accidents per 100000 cars registered that were better than the average. The state ranked twentieth in this standing, with South Dakota occupying the first position and Rhode Island sec ond. If South Dakota's death rate per 100000 cars registered had been the experience of the entire coun- try, it would have meant a saving of more than 18,000 lives.
 The four geographical territories comprising the New England, Mid dle Atlantic, West South Central and West North Central states were the only ones last year which en- joyed lower rates of death from au- tomobile accidents than the average for the country on the basis of population, gasoline consumption and the number of cars registered.
 In the New England states the death rates ranged from 13 to "A per cent less than the average on the three basis classifications; in the Middle Atlantic, from 2 to 12 per cent loss; in the West South Central states, from 2 to 13 per cent less, and in the West North Central states, from 13 to 31 per cent less than the average for the entire country.
 Rhode Islands death rate from automobile accidents of l5 per 100,- GOO population was AS per cent less than the average for the country, and it was 56 per cent less than the average per ten million gallons of gasoline. Tn South aDkota last year the rate of death from automo- bile accidents per 100000 cars regis tered was 51 per cent under the av- craze, while Rhode Island, which ranked second, was 49 per cent less.
 The Pacific coast states of Wash ington, Oregon and California had the highest death rate from auto mobile accidents per 100000 popu- lation. It was 50 per cent greater than the average for the entire country. The East South Central states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ala hama and Mississippi had the low