Big Increase in Traffic Deaths on S.D. Streets

The number of people killed in San Diego traffic accidents in the first half of 1985 increased by 29% over the same period in 1984, San Diego police said Monday.

Some law enforcement officials blamed the substantial increase, the first dramatic jump in several years, on motorists’ deteriorating safety habits. Others theorized that a strong economy and good weather have combined to put more people on the roads.

Sixty-two people have died on San Diego city streets since January, police said. (The state keeps track of freeway death figures.) The major causes of fatal accidents were speeding and right-of-way violations, according to Sgt. Ralph Triem, police traffic investigator. He said more people are running stop lights, changing lanes without signaling, and speeding than in past years.

“The attitude is, ‘I’m going to do it my way,’ ” Triem said.

“Ten years ago, traffic was fairly sensible. People would actually slow down and let you in. If people were more courteous, there would be fewer accidents.”

Officer Harvey Heaton of the California Highway Patrol blamed the increase in traffic deaths on more people traveling, taking advantage of a strong economy. “It cycles with the economy,” he said. “People are freer with their money. They are more apt to get out because of the availability of gas and because they have more money in their wallets.”

He said this year’s moderate climate also encouraged people to drive more. “If we’d had bad weather, people wouldn’t be driving as much. People are out doing what people in Southern California do.”

Ralph Jungk, a spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, agreed that more people are traveling in their cars. “We’re getting more requests for information on car trips than we have in the past,” he said. “People seem to feel more confident. They know they’ll have a job when they get back from vacation.”

The number of people killed in alcohol-related accidents did not increase this year, police spokesman Bill Robinson said. About half of all fatal collisions involved alcohol.

Twenty-one of those killed were pedestrians.

Sixteen people were killed on Wednesdays, making it the single most dangerous day. Tuesday was the least dangerous with four fatalities.