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Traffic Safety
During Holidays
Richmond, Va. . . Noting that Virginia saw 19 traffic deaths during the 3-day weekend which included Christmas Day last year, John T. Hanna, Director of the Virginia Highway Safety Division, asked motorists and pedestrians to be fully aware of the seasonal dangers that make this a very hazardous time of year.
Virginia saw five deaths on Christmas day alone and 113 for the month. The national toll for the holiday weekend was 910.
Hie main dangers listed by Mr. Hanna are as follows:
1. Drinking. On the average, alcohol is a factor in at least 50 percent of all fatal crashes. Hi is percentage increases markedly during the period immediately surrounding Christmas Day. About half the adult pedestrians killed have been drinking.
2. Darkness. December sees the shortest days of the year. The night mileage death rate in rural areas is about two and one half times that of daylight and the urban one nearly three times as high.
3. Heavy traffic. Christmas shopping and party-going bring a peak of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic to heighten the exposure.
4. Holiday inattention. At this time of year the spirit of the season is predominant in the minds of most people and its dangers are unrealistic to them.
Concluding, Mr. Hanna said the Christmas season would determine whether Virginia sees a slight reduction in deaths or goes on to its eighth consecutive year in which they have increased. There were 1,223 last year.
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