The single-car accident contributes nearly 42% of the highway traffic accident fatalities, or an average currently of nearly 16,000 deaths. A review of fatal accident statistics from 1900 through 1962 shows that the number of fatal accidents increased rapidly between 1920 and 1930 by more than 2000 per year, that a sharp break occurred around 1930, and that the average increase since then has been less than 500 per year.
A comparable long-range review of passenger car improvements shows significant reduction in height, development of enclosed bodies with safety glass, vastly improved brakes and lighting systems and many others. Development in steering and control has concentrated on making it possible to keep out of accidents, and recently, a great deal has been achieved in “packaging the passenger.”
