Evening star., 1936-03-29

to date has less traffic fatalities than:
at the same time last year. There is
no reason why the National Capital
cannot lead all other cities in way
to safety. Besides the paramount i'm
portance of saving lives, local pride
should cause motorists of this city to
strive for the honor of having the
lowest proportionate traffic deaths.
Do your part. Pedestrians can aid
also.
This is the second time the Illinois
city has won first honorS for all
groups. Its remarkably low auto death
rate during 1885, and its progress in
education, engineering and enforce
ment when the majority of the cities
throughout the country were expert
encing sizable increases in their death
rates, merited the grand prize honors
among cities of all sizes. Its 1885
motor vehicle death rate was but %
deaths per 100000 population. This
may be compared with a rate of 1871
the national average for all cities of all
population groups, reporting to the
council.
In addition to the grand prize, WIN
ners were named in six population
groups above 10000. Also 1873 munich
palities between 5000 and 10000 pop
ulation which went through the year
without traffic fatality were awarded
honorable mention certificates.
X
The complete list of winners, run
ners-up and honorable mention cities
and States follow:
In Group l Milwaukee won first
place honors among the cities over
100000 with New York second and
Chicago third. San Francisco and
Detroit we're accorded honorable men,
tion. Nine Of the 13 cities of more
than 500 600 population showed reduc-
tions in fatalities as compared with
their previous years record.
In Group Providence. r. L. won
first place in cities of between 100000
and 100000 population, with st. Paul
second: Seattle, third. and Jersey City.
Denver and Birmingham, Ala, in the
honorable mention class
In Group 3 Syracuse was placed
first in cities between 100, 900 and
250000, with Lynn, Mass, second,
and Spokane. third. Utica. Duluth,
Fall River. Mass. Somerville. Mass,
and Wilmington, Del, won honorable
mention.
In Group 4 Evanston was first in
cities between $4,000 and 100 900 pop
ulation. with Allentown, Pa, second
and Holyoke, Mass, third. Green's
boro, N. c.: Oak Park, Ill; Bingham
ton, N. Y; Brockton, Mass, and At
lantic City, N. j., won honorable men,
ton.
In Group S, cities between IS 900
and $4,000, Superior. Wis, was first:
Tucson, Ariz.. second, and Central
Falls, r. l., third. Honorable men,
ton cities in this group were Oshkosh,
Wis; Everett Mass; Elgin, H.; Joliet
III; Stamford. Conn: Pensacola. Fla:
Hackensack, N. j.; Plainfeld, N. j.,
and Parkersburg. W. Va.
In Group 6. Swissvale, Pa, carried
off first honors in cities between
10000 and $4,000, with Roselle, N. j.,
second, and Pampa, Tex, third. Hon.
orable mention went to Massena, N Y:
Grand Island, Nebr.; Brainerd, MINI.
La Grange, Ill; Austin, Mimi; Fair
mont, w. Va: Mount Lebanon, Pa:
Ossining, N. Y; Ventura, Calf; Fair
haven, Mass; Rochester Mimi; Hib-
bing. Mimi; Beatrice, Nebr South
Orange, N. j.; Astoria, Greg, and
Pekin, Ill.
Honorable mention In the State
contest, in which 80 States partici-
pated, were group A, New Jersey and
ssachusetts; group B. Georgia and
West Virginia, and group c, Arizona
and Nebraska.
In awarding prizes and special men,
ton for the greatest traffic safety
progress in 1885" to cities, the judges
considered not only the reduction
In traffic accidents from the average
of the previous three years, but also
the enactment of regulations, the set
ting up of administrative machinery
and the conduct of organized educa-
tional activities, which, according to
general experience, are certain to
bring eventual accident decreases.
Thus, no city could win through
the element of luck alone; nor could
a city win on the basis of a paper
program which did not actually pro-
duce results.
The grading schedule was as fol-
lows: Accident record a maximum
OF SO points; accident reporting,
maximum of points; traffic plan
ming, maximum of 10 points; traffic
law enforcement. maximum of IS
points; child safety. maximum of
10 points, and public education, a
maximum of 10 points.
In the interstate contest the grading
schedule was as follows: Percentage
of eligible cities enrolled, 40 points:
percentage of eligible population in
enrolled cities, 20 points; average final
scores of enrolled cities, 40 points.
All cities entered were required to
make regular reports on their fatal
and non-fatal accidents throughout
the year At the end Of the year
each city was asked to submit a
final report of its work along each
of the lines mentioned in the grading.
Small cities were not judged by met
ropolitan standards. These reports
were weighed and sifted during jan
uary and February by statisticians,
engineers and educational experts on
the staff of the National Safety Coun-
Gil. The prizes were awarded to those
cities which, in the careful judgment
of an impartial committee of judges,
had come the nearest to doing for
safety those things which were prac-
tical in such communities.
To insure competent and impartial
decisions all awards were made by
committees Of nationally recognized
experts in the field of traffic safety.
Thomas H. Macdonald, chief, United
States Bureau Of Public Roads, Wash
ington, D. c., served as chairman of
the committee. He was assisted by
TJoroId R,,tf or, niy,o oditor of hy,,or;