Sunday, May 5, 1996

Early report shows 1996 traffic deaths up 19 percent

By JUAN B. ELIZONDO Jr.
Associated Press

AUSTIN - A comparison of early 1996 traffic deaths with the same estimate from last year shows a 19 percent increase in fatalities, and while no hard analysis is available, some point to increased speed limits as the reason.

It is too early in 1996, and the reporting process too slow, to have reliable numbers for the first four months of 1996.

But the Department of Public Safety says it has so far received reports of 878 people killed in 746 fatal crashes in Texas. The same report last year showed 739 people had been killed in 637 accidents.

The DPS later revised those 1995 numbers to 838 accidents, killing 965 people. Those numbers could be revised again in a report due out next week.

Preliminary figures for all of last year showed 3,130 people were killed in 2,753 traffic crashes. There were 3,142 traffic deaths in 1994.

The DPS collects more than 500,000 accident reports each year from more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies. Jim Templeton, manager of the accident records division, said it takes months to process and edit those reports, partly because agencies have weeks to complete their reports.

At least some agencies miss reporting deadlines, putting the process further behind, he said.
The Texas Department of Transportation in November approved new speed limits, ranging up to 70 mph, and speed limit signs began changing after the national speed limit expired Dec. 8.

Of the state's 77,000 miles of roads, 23,000 have been assigned speed limits above 55 mph, according to Randall Dillard, a spokesman for the department.

He said the department could finish considering speed limits on the state's smallest roads next month, but it could be some time before all authorized changes are complete.

Jerry Johns, head of the Southwest Insurance Information Service, said that because the reports are so far behind, "we will have to stick with our original estimate of 560 more deaths in the first year under a 70 mph speed limit."

Johns also said the DPS should find a way to speed up its reporting process.

"Given the serious consequences of increasing the speed limit in Texas, we need a more timely reporting method to compare deaths and injuries," he said.

Johns acknowledged that many factors contribute to fatal crashes. But he said speed and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs are the biggest contributors.

"Certainly excessive speed is playing a major role in the number of deaths on Texas roads," he said.

As they approved higher speed limits, officials at the Transportation Department said they would monitor crash and fatality figures on roads where speed limits increased and would take action if the new limits caused more deaths.

But Dillard said the 1996 figures are too sketchy to consider whether the new speed limits have had an impact. He also said the new limits simply reflect the speed at which most motorists already were driving.

"A rise in the number of traffic fatalities is a concern to us, no matter what the cause," Dillard said. "But it is too early to determine what effect higher speed limits have had."

Templeton said it would be some time before anyone could accurately determine whether higher speed limits cause more deaths.

He said too many other factors - like the number of motorists on a given road and the degree to which motorists drive at different speeds - contribute to crashes and fatalities.

"You can't just look at one variable," he said. "You have to have enough of the information available to analyze."