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Traffic Deaths Rise
First Half Year
Virginia’s toll of traffic deaths appeared headed for the eighth consecutive annual increase as the first six months of the year saw 549 to compare badly with the 528 for the same period of 1967, Colonel H. W. Burgess, Chairman of the Governor’s Highway Safety Committee and Superintendent of State Police, announced today.
“The situation is even worse than it appears,” he added. “Late reports and deaths of persons now carried as injured during the first half of the year are certain to bring an upward revision of the 549 deaths.”
Pedestrian deaths rose from 93 to 113 and traffic volumes were up about 12 percent Monthly deaths for 1968 numbered 73 in January, 80 in February, 103 in March, 108 in April, 92 in May and 93 so far for June. The 1967 counterparts were 73, 87, 102, 105, 87 and 74 respectively
Virginia’s score of 1,223 deaths last year was the highest ever recorded and well above the long standing record of 1,110 set in 1941.
For the first four months of the year, the National Safety Council gave Virginia a rate of 5.0 deaths per each 100 million miles of travel, exactly the national average.
Colonel Burgess said that the one bright spot appears to be a reduction of the Memorial Day holiday toll from 20 to 11 this year.
73.1%