The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-03
State Loses Prestige
 In Safety Promotion
Winner of National Honors in l94O Making Poor
 Showing in l941; Strict Enforcement of Laws


 At the half-year mark with its opportunity for statistical review, Connecticut seems on its way this year to establishing one of its poor est years in traffic accident preven- tion, according to a statement in the June issue of Traffic Topics" !" monthly bulletin of the State De- partment of Motor Vehicles.
 An increase of 16.4 per cent in traffic fatalities is reported by the department for the first half of 1941 as compared with the same period last year, 163 persons having been killed this year in traffic accidents as compared with 140, an increase of g cases, which elevates Connec- ticut's fatality increase above the national average of 15.7 per cent.
 Favorable Point
 Only in "child bicyclists" does the 1941 Connecticut traffic fatality ex- perience show improvement over 1940. Seventeen more pedestrians have been killed this year, five of this increase being charged to cf1il- dren. Nine more occupants have been killed and adult bicyclist deaths show an increase of one case. Four child bicyclists were killed dur ing the first six months a year ago, but none SO far this year.
 An estimated increase of about 30 per cent in traffic accidents has been recorded as of June 30th, the totals being 9,049 for ,194O as compared with an estimated 11,832 cases this year. Personal injuries show an in- crease of less than six per cent, ratio of injuries to accidents for 1941 being reduced, which is the only gratifying not in this phase of the traffic accidents records.
 The departments statistical re- view of the first six months refers specifically to prospects for the last half of the year in this manner:
 And yet, that old saying "the worst is yet to come"-often ut tered in applies to the prob able traffic accident experience in Connecticut this year.
 Over substantial period it ap- pears that the last six months of each year turns in about fifty-six (56) per cent of the annual traffic accident total and approximately sixty (60) per cent of the motom vehicle deaths. On that basis the ex- perience during the last six months will be so much worse than already 
 Assuming that the experience this year will follow the same pat tern as in the past, about 210 to 2l5 persons ALIVE ON JULY FIRST, will have been killed in traffic &C., cidentS between that date and mid- night on December 31st, 1941. That is not a pretty picture to contem- plate.
 Improvements
 'It is not sound to argue that because Connecticut has registered tis greatest total of motor vehicles, licensed it's greatest army of opera tors and because more cars are more miles we should re- cord accidents. That is a statistical based on the assumption other factors have not changed.
 Connecticut also has its greatest of improved highways with grades reduced, curves strengthened put, visual Instructions removed and improved surfaces to provide more efficient traction. Motor ve- nicles themselves have been so inn proved mechanically that an adoles- ;ent person can operate them safely f endowed with common sense and m appreciation of the need to obey he fundamental traff1c regulations. sky -flm8ojrvto9oci ETA EFT A