Arizona Accidents Take 31 Lives in Three Months

JUNE, 1933 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS 9 Arizona Accidents Take 31 Lives in Three Months Pedestrians Involved in 42 Per Cent of Traffic Fatalities in State During First Quarter of Year

DURING the first quarter of By E. V. MILLER Safety Engineer the year in Arizona, 517 motor vehicles were involved in 296 accidents. Of these, 12 per cent were collisions with pedestrians in which 13 pedestrians were killed and 23 injured. These 13 deaths were 42 per cent of the total killed in all motor vehicle accidents during this period, while the injured pedestrians were only 10 per cent of the total injuries. This increase in pedestrians killed during the quarter over the first quarter of 1932 is more than 100 per cent, and the increase seems to occur under the classification "Walking in Roadway." No doubt a number of these accidents could have been avoided if the pedestrians had been walking toward the traffic instead of with their backs to it.

The next high death rate occurs under non-collision accidents. These also amount to 12 per cent of the total accidents, but caused 40 per cent of the total deaths and 16 per cent of the injuries. There were 1.39 persons killed or injured per accident in the non-collision class against 1.02 for the same period in 1932. No doubt one of the contributing factors in this type of accident is excessive speed. Blowouts and skidding also took their toll in this class.caused only 13 per cent of the deaths and 69 per cent of the injuries.

Collisions Take High Toll

More accidents occurred as the result of collision with other motor vehicles than any other type. Of all accidents, 69% per cent were in this class, but Of the miscellaneous collisions, there were 3 accidents and 2 injured hitting animals, 3 with railroad trains but no injuries, 3 with street cars, and 2 in jured, 4 with bicycle and 3 injured, and 6 with fixed objects with one killed and 5 injured.

In the 296 accidents reported, there were 31 killed and 235 injured.

Again the hours between 3 and 9 p. m. are the most dangerous, during which time 42 per cent of all accidents happened, which constitutes 37 per cent of fatal and 41 per cent of the non-fatal accidents.

Accidents at intersections were 54 per cent of the total and for the first time were more than the open road accidents which took second place at 44 per cent. But, of the intersection accidents, only 3 per cent were fatal, whereas, 19 per cent of the road accidents were fatal, and resulted in 25 out of the total of 31 fatal accidents reported.

Passenger cars comprised 82 per cent of all vehicles involved, with trucks next at 11 per cent, and the other 7 per cent were motorcycles, buses and taxicabs. Of all passenger cars, 6 per cent were involved in fatal accidents, and of truck accidents, 7½ per cent were fatal.

Out of 517 drivers involved in all accidents, 390 or over 75 per cent were local people and were involved in 47 per cent of the fatal and 79 per cent of the non-fatal accidents. By local, we mean resident in the county in which the accident occurred. Less than 8 per cent were resident elsewhere in the state, and 11 per cent were from out of state. Of the out of state drivers, 12% per cent were in 20 per cent of the total fatal accidents.

Some persons dislike to mention their age, possibly thinking that it is unimportant, but we find from those reporting that while drivers under 20 years are but 7% per cent of the total, over 10 per cent were involved in fatal accidents; whereas, between the ages of 20 to 29 only 4% per cent were involved in fatal accidents, and between 30 to 49 only 5% per cent.

Male Drivers In Most Crashes

Of all accidents, 85 per cent of the drivers were males.

Obtaining admission of the correct speed or any speed is as difficult as arriving at the correct ages, but of the reported speeds, 33 per cent stated they were travelling between 20 and 29 miles per hour, and in this class 4 per cent were involved in 17½ per cent of the fatal, and 55 per cent were involved in 17 per cent of the non-fatal accidents. Many reports show excessive speeds, but do not state actual speed or even an estimated speed.

Of the 517 motor vehicles, 73 per cent were going straight ahead and were involved in 85 per cent of the fatal and 75 per cent of the non-fatal (Continued on Page 16)