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Va. Traffic Deaths
Down in First Quar.
Colonel H. W. Burgess, Superintendent of State Police, has reported that traffic deaths for the first three months of 1969 stood tentatively at 251 as against 259 for the same period of 1968.
Colonel Burgess noted that January of this year saw a record breaking 98 deaths. Previous high for the month was the 85 of 1942. February’s toll was 84, or two above that of 1968. This was high for the month but not a record.
Amazingly, Colonel Burgess said, March deaths fell from the 103 of 1968 to 69. The high January and February scores, he felt, could be at least partially explained by the long spells of good weather experienced in many parts of the state. “While adverse weather presents driving hazards,” he continued, “it also slows drivers down and keeps both drivers and pedestrians off the streets and highways.”
He did not feel that the drastic March reduction could establish a trend any more than could the counterbalancing January rise. On February 17 of this year, deaths stood at 156 while those for the comparable 1968 period were at 116.
Pedestrian deaths were down from 56 to 51 and the steady reduction in motorcycle deaths continued with but one recorded as against six for 1968’s first quarter.
In closing, Colonel Burgess observed that late reports and deaths of persons now carried as injured could bring some upward revision of the 1969 toll.
88.0%