Fewer Accidents on State Highways

AUGUST, 1933 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS ii Fewer Accidents on State Highways Number Lessens During Quarter but Fatalities in Traffic Crashes Show Increase of 8.2 Per Cent

ACCIDENTS on Arizona road-ways reported to the State Highway Department during the second quarter of the year show a decrease of 11.1 percent in the number re-ported for the same period last year as shown in the tabulation. But, while the accidents and number of cars in-volved were fewer, the fatal accidents and number of persons killed and in-jured show an increase of 8.2 per cent over the same period of last year. In analyzing these accidents, it seems that the decrease in cars involved is in the "collision with other motor vehicle" class. The non-collision accidents are identical in number with last year and the high death rate occurs in this class during the current period, there being 14 killed in this type of accident out of the total of 34 for all other type of accidents. "Collision with other motor vehicles" accidents are second in death rate, but first in injuries, there being 187 per-sons injured in this type of accident out of a total of 340 in all classes, with non-collision accidents ranking second, and pedestrians third in the in-jury accidents. Collision with animals killed three persons and injured three during this period; whereas, last year during the same period only one person was in-jured in the same number of accidents involving animals. In three collisions with trains, two were killed and two injured. Collision with fixed objects injured 15, and col

lision with bicycles injured six persons. Of the hours stated, over 40 per cent of all accidents occurred between 3 o'clock p. m., and 9 p. m., resulting in 36.5 per cent of all injuries and 15 per cent of the fatal accidents. The six hour period between midnight and 6 a. m. shows the highest number of fatal accidents reported, or 29.5 per cent of the total. Night accidents were 45 per cent of the total. Accidents occurring at intersections were 38 per cent of the total, 6.5 per cent of the fatal and 37.5 per cent of the non-fatal. The open road accidents take their place at the head of the "location" list with 56.6 per cent of all accidents, 71 per cent of the fatal and 56.5 per cent of the injury or non-fatal accidents. Passenger cars involved in accidents outnumber other vehicles about four to one, with 5.5 per cent of them involved in fatal, and 55 per cent involved in non-fatal accidents. Trucks involved were 17.4 per cent of all vehicles, and 7 per cent of these trucks were in fatal and 46 per cent in non-fatal accidents. Passenger cars comprised 78 per cent of all vehicles and were involved in 68.5 per cent of the fatal, and 80 per cent of the non-fatal accidents, while trucks, as stated, being 17.4 per cent of all vehicles, were involved in 18.4 per cent of the fatal and 15.1 per cent of all non-fatal. Over 70 per cent of all drivers in-volved were local residents and where-as, they were involved in 50 per cent of all accidents, only 4.6 per cent were actually involved in fatal accidents. Drivers resident elsewhere in the state were 10 per cent of the total, and 11 percent of these were in fatal accidents. Out-of-state drivers were in amout 15 per cent of the total and 10.8 per cent of these were in fatal, and 42 per cent in non-fatal accidents. Almost one-fourth of our total accidents involved out-of-state drivers. Under "age of driver" we find about one-third who did not report their age. Of those who did, we find that between the ages of 20 and 30 years, 6.8 per cent were involved in fatal accidents, and 56 in non-fatal accidents. Between the ages of 30 and 40, only 3.4 per cent were in fatal, and 58.5 per cent in non-fatal accidents, while between 50 and 60 years, 6.8 per cent were in fatal, and 53 per cent in non-fatal ac-cidents. These figures are not con-sistent with the last quarter, which shows the "under twenty" classification in the high accident percentage. Male drivers constitute 82 per cent of the total, with 6.1 per cent involved in fatal, and 53 per cent in non-fatal accidents; 5.4 per cent of the female drivers were involved in fatal, and 55.4 (Continued on Page 20)