Marion progress., 1949-11-03
Total Accidents
In September
Increase l009o

Raleigh, N. pedestrian ia
talities showed a 100 per cent in
crease in September this year as
compared with the same month
last year, a report released today
by the Department Of Motor We
hicles revealed.
Twenty-tw pedestrians, seven of
whom were children, were struck
down on the streets and highways
of the State as compared with II
last year. The 22 brought fatalities
for the month to 80, an increase of
18 per cent over the 68 persons
who died last year. Deaths through
September totaled 900.
Injuries numbered 876, repre-
senting an increase of 22 percent
over the 72O injured during the
same month of last year and bring
ing to 6,928 the total personal in
juries this year. .
Although September fatalities
were on the increase over those in
the low fatality year Of 1948, they
were still below several previous
years, when travel was much less
than this year. In September 10
years ago, 81 persons were killed;
in 1910, .113; in 1941, 112; 1945,
92; 1947, 81. War years dropped
below his years total with 70 in
1912; SO in 1913; IS in 1914. In
1947, 70 were killed.
/. Personal injuries, viewer,
reached an all-time high for Sep
tember. A check of injuries during
Septembers of the past 10 years
showed: 1889, GA; 1910, SAP;
1e41, GAL; 1912, 374; 1943, 292;
1914, 500; 1945, 486; 1916, 4S8;
1947, 544; 1948, 72O; 1949, 876.
Accidents in September also top
ped those of previous Septembers.
The number last month mounted to
1,911 as compared with 625l in
1899; 891 in 1910; 1,04O in 1941;
484 in 1912; 497 in 1913; 545 in
1914; 813 in 1915; 897 in 1916;
1850 in 1947; and 1,491 in 194S.
In addition to the % pedestrians
killed, SO were injured, As of whom
were children. Mecklenburg, Per-
son, Wilkes and Craven Counties
reported two pedestrians each kill
ed; Alamance. Bladen, Buncombe,
Cherokee, Cleveland, Cumberland,
Durham, CASTOR, Halifax, Hay
wood, Henderson, Mcdowell, Robe
son and Wayne, one each. Meek
lenburgburg's fatalities were both
in Charlotte. Waynesville, Mt. Olive,
Wilke.boro and Marion had one
each.
Collisions of motor vehicles took
the lives of 21 persons during Sep
tember. One person was killed in a
collision of a motor vehicle and an
animal-drawn vehicle and one in
collision with an animal. Only one
bicyclist met his death. Three
deaths occurred when motor vehic-
les struck fixed objects. Twenty
five persons died when their We
hicles overturned or ran off the
road.
A total of 1928 drivers were in
yolved in traffic accidents, with the
IS to "A age bracket leading the
group. Drivers from rs to "a were
in more fatal accidents, however.
Four hundred and seventy-nlne
drivers were speeding when they
were involved in accidents, Ia of
which were fatal. A total of 379
drivers did not have the right of
way when crashes occurred, seven
of which were fatal. Other drivers
in violation we're as follows: 358
driving on wrong side of road, IL of
of whom were in fatal mishaps; 191
following too closely; 131 driving
intoxicated, seven of whom were in
fatal crashes.
Vehicles involved in accidents
were as follows: passenger cars,
1854, with IS fatal accidents;
trucks, SGT, with 19 fatal accidents;
military vehicles, one; oil trans
ports, two; taxicabs, At; buses, 81;
school buses, 20; and motorcycles,
27. Sixty-four accidents were caus-
ed from defective brakes, one OF
which was fatal. Six accidents in
volved vehicles with both headlights
out, 10 with insufficient lights, and
10 with defective steering mechan
isms.
Mecklenburg led the State in ia
talities during September with five
deaths. Carteret, Craven, CASTOR
and Robson had four each; Dur
ham, Halifax, Macon, Scotland, and
Wayne, three, each; Alamance,
Buncombe, Brunswick, Cherokee,
Davidson, Harnett, Haywood, Nash,
Person and Wilkes, two each; Av-
erv. Bladen, Burke, Camden, Chat