Traffic Fatalities Increase

Traffic Fatalities Increase

Jn First Part of 1950

Keeping better than bloody pace with the sickening progress of 1949 traffic deaths, which ran to 248 for the first third. of last year, and stimulated by a nine* per cent increase in traffic volumes, 1950's first four months saw 260 dead with more to come as late reports are received, was the statement today of Col. C. W. Woodson, Jr., Superintendent of State Police and Executive Chairman,* of tfte Governor's Highway Safety Committee.

January opened the ball of death with 80 fatalities to make a record for the month in Virginia history and February, with ti, was only three short of her own highest score. March showed a substantial reduction but April set another all-time high' wi.en 64 deaths were chalked .up against her, he said.

Col. Woodson Stated gloomily that 1341, our worst traffic year, had a total of 1110* deaths and, with two out of four ordinarily* low-death months eclipsing their 1941 counterparts, the people of Virginia must show more co-operation if we are going to escape national disgrace.

According to the safety official, arrests by state poliee for traffic violations during the period were some 60 per cent, above the 1949 figure but that no police department or combination could hope to apprehend more than a comparatively Small fraction of the daily violators.

He pointed out also that more and more safety facilities are being built into our highways and that the Commonwealth’s education program has seen steady expansion, but that the individual simply will not respond nor seem to realize the peril to which he subjects himself. At least 70 per cent of all accidents last year, he reported, indicated occurence of a traffic-law violation while many others ^resulted from failure to show ordinary common sense.