Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-04-22
STATE HIGHWAY
FATALITIES DROP
DECREASE FROM 214 IN 1884 TO
l4s IN 1898, PATROL REC
ORDS REVEAL
Credit for Slump in Deaths Prom Road
Accidents Due Largely 10 Work Of
PatrOlmen. Who Began Work Upon
ThorOughfares in 1885.

AnofougnIareS In 1885.
There is no sure way of tellinl
whether the decrease in the mum
Der of highway deaths in Montans
during the last four years can bt
credited to the Montana highway
( patrol; but the fact that pa per-
sons were killed in auto accidents
! in 1884, the year before the patrol
was established, and 143 met sim
liar deaths during 1888 present a
pretty strong argument. Add to
this the fact that the death toll has
never, since the formation Of the
patrol. been as high as 1t was in 1884.
and the argument is further strength
ened.
Whether or not one wants to admit
that this marked increase in Treasure
state road safety is due 10 the work
OF the patrolmen, one thing is certain:
In working towards the prevention Of
accidents, and the increase Of highway
safety, the patrol has gained invaluable
experience and knowledge with which
TO start building a fool-proOf safety
program for the state. They have
learned what motoring habits are the
most dangerous: what Is the most dan
gerous time Of the day to drive; what
Is the average age Of the drivers Of
most OF the cars involved In accidents,
and what are the causes Of nearly all
accidents
All Of this information has been COM
piled by t." staff OF the Helena office
OF the patrol from patrolmen's records.
II has been prepared in report form
and has been distributed recently to
all patrolmen for study.
From Reckless Driving
The report shows. for instance. that
25 of the IA fatalities of the year re-
suited from reckless driving. This fig
ure represents tbs percent Of the total /
and marks reckless driving as the big
gest single contributor to the death
list. Twenty deaths resulted from ex-
cesstve speed. or 1873 percent.
Among the other causes enumerated
N the report are: Wrong side of the
road, Is; intoxicated driving. g.; pedes-
.rian accidents. 10; negligence, 6; care
eSs or confused pedestrian, 8; hit and
-lln driving, 8: careless driving. 3.
iriver confused or blinded by head
lights, 8; skidding on wet or icy road,
!; defective vehicle. 4; tire blowout. 1.
All In all, % causes are listed, rang
-Ah NAAOAEAA culAA AkCHAo heo uldLICUklOu
4 driver, coasting on city street, pedes-
rian on wrong side Of road, falling
rom moving vehicle"
Fatalities by months: January, IL;
february z; March. z; April, 9; May,
/; June, Il; July, IL; August, 20:
eptember. IL; October, 10: November,
81; December, is.
Nine drivers between the ages Of is
nd 20 were killed; Twelve were be-
veen 81 and 80: A between 81 and 90;
between Al and co. and 8 drivers
81 drivers were killed during the
ear. The ages Of five we're not stated
] the report.
The other classes Of persons killed.
asides drivers, were: Passengers, 40;
sdestrians. 81.
Twenty-Five Of the years fatal mis-
APPS occurred to trucks; SO involved
ltomobiles Thirty-six persons were
lied IN truck accidents; passenger
rs took a toll Of 106
Brought out by the report was the
ct that. although TAT percent OF
e traffic Is found on the highways
lring the day, well over so percent
the accidents occurred at night dur
z 1888.
Of the fatalities oc-
rred in the cities, 81 on highways,
on county roads, at railroad cross
IS and in private driveways.
Two hundred and eleven minor ac-
tents, involving only injuries, oc-
rred on the straightaway. One
ndred and twenty-five occurred on
rves. Thirty-five fatal accidents oc-
rred on straightaway roads while
Is happened on curves Forty-nine
-sons were killed In Montana In &C
ents occurring on straight road, as
impaired with 81, or less than half
many, killed In accidents ON curves
Seventeen fatal accidents occurred
intersections, killing 30 persons.
rec occurred at railroad crossings,
ing three people.
Highways Are Safer
Although the number Of fatalities In
. Treasure state is still appallingly
h. the number. ia. represents
rease Of 1928 percent over the 1884
IRE, and a decrease Of 1T percent
r 1887. These decreases indicate
{ little by little Montana highways
becoming safer. And some thanks
this fact is due the Montana high
z patrol
4 patroling several million aggregate
Is Of road In the state and making i
Ie 1871 arrests during the year sure
the patrol has had a part In the
1ction In the number Of deaths.
haps by courteous lecture one Of
patrol has made an impression on
e speeding motorist who took Il
: the rest Of the way and thus
ated death. who sal waiting for
at the next curve In more OBJ
porous cases surely a summons
ing fruit In the form Of a fine.
made the not too rich, but too
less, driver stop TO figure out II he
d afford to take chances.
.rtainly II the patrol had its way.
me would figure they could afford
axe chances. The highway patrol
, In working every day towards
ing the highways safe, In every day
6 alert to save a life wherever
whenever possible, have developed
,althy hate for any form Of reck-
less or carelessness or knowing vio-
n Of safety laws.