Evening star., 1951-05-07
4 Roads Exceed
Baltimore Pike
In Auto Deaths
State Commission
Considers Volume
Of TroveI in Study
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
BALTIMORE May 7.-Drivine
on the Baltimore Washington
boulevard may not be the creates
guarantee of long life, but Mary
land has four other stretches Of
road with even worse safety
records.
That's one of the conclusions
you can draw from figures turned
up by the traffic division of the
State Roads Commission in a
recent survey.
The division studied 10 routes
chosen chiefly because of the oc-
currence of fatal accidents" on
them in 1850.
Its survey differs from previous
ones made in Maryland because
1t takes into account a factor
often overlooked in comparing the
accident toll of one highway with
That OF another. This factor is
the volume of traffic carried by
the respective highways.
Time and Lighting Considered.
Also considered in the survey
were the time and day when fatal
accidents occurred, lighting con-
and the condition of the
drivers and pedestrians involved
Long weary of hearing the
boulevard called deaths high
way the commission notes thai
The nickname might be more &C.
curately applied to the 32-mile
section of United States 13 from
Salisbury to the Virginia line.
Sixteen persons lost their lives
as a result of highway accidents
there last year. The toll on the
boulevard. about 20 miles long
was 42 and offhand would seem to
make it recognized as a deadlier
'oute.
Mileages Compared.
But the commission points out
hat trucks and automobiles rolled
Up a total mileage of more than
'31 millions on the boulevard in
$50, compared with less than so
Million on the Salisbury Virginia
section of United States 13. This
means there were fewer than 10
ratio deaths on the boulevard
or every 100 million vehicle miles,
compared with about 80 on United
states Is for the same number of
'ehicle miles.
The number of vehicle miles
Der year was obtained from regu-
arly scheduled checking stations
long the routes, where a 24-hour
'ount was taken four times dur
ng the year. The number in
ach case was extended to get the
early total.
Figured on the vehicle-mile
'asls, the next greatest number
Il fatalities occurred last year on
J. S. 40 from Cumberland to
pennsylvania. about 33 miles.
There were more than "a deaths
here for every 100 million We
1Icle miles of travel.
Routes Given in Order.
The commission lists the 10 sur
'eyed routes in this order:
U. S. 13 Salisbury Virginia)
a miles-3203 deaths per 100
million vehicle miles.
U. S, 40 (Cumberland-Pennsyl-
'ania), 33 miles-24.48 deaths
,er 100 mvm.
Maryland Route 4 Upper Marl-
'oro- Washington), lis miles
Ala deaths.
o. S. 301 (Baltimore-La Plata
3 miles-22.65 deaths.
U. S. Baltimore WASHINGTON
'oulevard), % miles-18.17 deaths.
Maryland Route 5 Hughesville-
VaShington), "a miles-16.97
Ieaths.
U. S. 40 Baltimore -Havre de
irace), % mileS-12.18 deaths.
U, S, l (Baltimore-Bel Air). 16
nlles-8.45 deaths.
U. S. 40 Havre de Grace-Dela-
7are), II miles-7.6O deaths.
U. S. $40 (Frederick- Washing
on, 81 miles-6.82 deaths.
The total mileage of these 10
ections is about 285 miles, or less
han 2 per cent of the total mile
ge of all Maryland streets and
Dads outside Baltimore.
But this relatively small part
f highway mileage accounted for
nore than one-third of the States
$50 fatal accidents outside Balti-