Evening star., 1936-12-27

Another hopeful sign is that de-
spite the increased registration of cars
and the growth of travel last year
fatalities have been reduced. The
decrease is small, but at least it is an
indication pointing the right way.
The national picture is very true in
Washington. There was an actual
registration of more than zoe, 900 cars
here. Allowing for second sales and
transfers, $4,000 cars were carried on
the files of the Traffic Bureau. This
proves, of course, a great volume of
sales.
The traffic record also has i'm
proved. One hundred and thirteen
people lost their lives in 1885, and for
1886 it is unlikely that there will be
more than 100 deaths due to automo-
bile accidents. The suspension of per-
mits is held an important factor in
this matter.
1t is fitting that the National
Capital should lead the way.
Despite increases in both vehicles
registered and volume of traffic, 40 of
Sc key cities with combined popu-
lation of $4,000, 900 have reduced mo-
tor fatalities, offering convincing evil
dence that the national drive for ac-
cident prevention is gaining headway,
according to the American Automobile
Association.
The statement by the national mo-
toring body is based on an analysis
of reports on motor deaths to the
United States Bureau of Census for
the So weeks ending November 81. as
compared with those for the previous
50 weeks
"The favorable accident trend in
heavily congested cities, including
New York. Chicago. Cincinnati, st.
Louis, Baltimore and Washington"
said Thomas P. Henry, president of
the A. A. A., "augurs well for general
improvement in the direction of safer
use of the streets and highways. 1t is
fresh evidence that the Nation is be-
coming safety conscious and that the
co-ordinated programs to assure safer
conditions for highway users are
making progress.
Twenty one of the So key cities
reduced motor fatalities by % per
cent or more, with the more outStand-
ing declines in motor deaths by cities
as follows: Peoria. ILL.,, so per cent;
Camden. N. j., 48 per cent; Lowell.
Mass, Al per cent; Canton, Ohio, 43
per cent; South Bend, Ind, 40 per
cent; Omaha, Nebr., 81 per cent, and
st. Louis, Mo-; Dallas, Tex, and Des
Moines, Iowa, each "a per cent"
Pointing out that the downward
trend of motor fatalities in cities i'm
proving their accident records was so
pronounced that rs decrease for
all 86 cities was achieved, Mr.. Henry
declared that this record is most
significant when it is measured
against the heavy volume of traffic
indicated by a 10 per cent rise in
gasoline consumption for the country
as a whole He continued:
In addition to the 40 cities having
reductions, three cities registered no
change, including Philadelphia. Only
nine cities had motor fatality in
creases of 20 per cent or more, sew
eral of these reporting death rates on
a population basis below the average
Of 17.2 per 100000 population for all
Sc cities.
Among cities failing to maintain
their unusually low rates for motor
fatalities were Milwaukee, Wis;
Lynn, Mass; New Bedford, Mass:
Wilmington, Del, and Birmingham,
Ala. The worst record, from the
standpoint of increased fatalities, was
in Evansville, Ind, where the rate
per 100000 population increased
from 21.4 to 1876, q gain of 81 per
cent.
This Is the second year that the
motor death rate for the Sc reporting
cities has decreased. The decline has
been from 1879 per 10000 popula-
ton in 1884 to 17.2 in 1886, thus the
record for the cities is nearly 40 per
cent better than the rate for the
country as a whole on a population
basis"
In Maryland, where there is an
automobile for very four and a half |
persons, the main links in the inter-
State system are inadequate for the
interstate and intro-State traffic
they carry, recently stated Prof. S. S.
Stelnberg, president of the Educa-
tlonal Division of the American Road
Builders Association. Prof. Steinberg
also is acting dean of the College of |
engineering, University of Maryland.
Built for traffic of many years ago.
the roads, he pointed out, are not
only unfit for the great loads of COM
mercial traffic of today, but they con-
tain many hazards that are magni-
ned by the increased speed of motor |
travel.
Even our wide Washington Boule.
ward, which is already approaching
saturation at peak periods, contains
Q number Of dangerous spots which
take a heavy toll in accidents" Prof.
Steinberg declared.
Route 40, the main cross-Statc |
thoroughfare, IS not built for the
traffic it is called upon to carry, and,
the narrow, tortuous, rough highways
OF the Eastern Shore compare poorly |
with the parallel routes through Della |
ware, he pointed out.
Prof. Steinberg reported that a pro-
gram for undermining Maryland high.
ways to meet present traffic demands
Is being drawn up on nom political
lines by committee appointed by
Gov. Nice and will be presented to the |
General Assembly.
The committee will cooperate with |
the State highway planning survey,
which was undertaken several months |
ago by the State Roads Commission in |
collaboration with the United States |
Bureau Of Public Roads and the State |
Planning Commission. The survey |
covers three principal lines-inventory,
traffic and finance-and out Of it is
expected q frank appraisal of the
highway system as it stands, recon-
mendations for a long-range physical
improvement and financial plan for