The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-23
Costs Just About Three Lives
a Day in the United States

l'iourcs recently gathered by the fed
eraI census show that the automobile,
from one point OF view, rs a very ck-
,,ensiyc invention. IL is Il great source
M Measure TO muJtitudes of people, ana
an important aid TO civilization, but
fbc toll it takes of human lives IS moth
inc short of frightful. As the motor
ear has grown more popular. ~ mas
naturally become more destructive. In
fhe year 1906, automobiles killed three
Kindred and sixty-six persons 10 thls
eouutry. In 1907 they took five hundred
and eighty eight lines. In l9OS they
uiped out seven hundred and eighty
<ix people. These arc the figures of the
census, which estimates that. at rough
moss, one thousand persons VIII be
Filled by motor ears in the United
states during the twelve months of
1910. II would be close to the truth
10 say that the automobile, in this coun-
fry, costs three lives day. The tax
/ Il undeniably a heavy ono.
In Rural Districts.
In rural districts the chief sufferers
arc the automobilisis themsclvcs-the
most common kind of accident they en-
eouuter being collisions with railroads
and trolley trains. One might suppose
that drivers of motor cars would be so
on their guard against dangers of this
particular sort that such happenings
would be rare, but the fact IS that they
arc of constant occurrence-as one may
perceivc by an attentive perusal of the
newspapers from day TO day.
Nothing is moro common than to hear
Of instances in which automobiles have
|deliberately. raced with locomotives,
the object in view being 10 get over
the crossing before the arrival of the |
train at that point. it is literally a |
race with death, and must be extremely |
Exciting. but most people would rather |
ret their excitement in some less haz- |
ardous way.
Foot Passengers Victims.
Or the other hand. most fatal auto
mobile accidents in cities find their vic
fins in foot passengers who are run
pvcr ON the streets. During SIX weeks
Ia October and November of last year
scventcen children were killed IN this
manner in Greater New York. Indeed,
mortality from this cause in large cen
fers of population is largely among
boys and girls, a great majority OF
whom have no Fairgrounds other than
the streets, and are obliged to take
their chances with the motor cars,
dodeing them as they come along.
Sixty-eight persons were killed by
in Greater New York dur
ING the year 1009-iust about half of
this number meeting their tragic fate
on Manhattan island. in many Of these
bases where people were run over, the
Drivers Of The cars were probably not
10 blame. 1t Is difficult to ran a gaso
vehicle through city
provided with traffic on foot and on
wheels But who, A generation ago,
couId have imagined that the time
would ever arrive when locomotives
would be allowed to run on the streets
land not on rails, at that7
More Dangerous Than Railroads.
a custom long established among the
'rudent demands that, before attempt
Rg 10 cross n railroad, one shall pause Il
nd look both ways, to make sure that
10 brain Is coming. If a train is seen
lpproaching, even though it be CON
lderable distance away, one waits un- (;
u il has passed But in these days any
Important city street is more dangerous !
3 cross than a raiIroad-especially in j
flew OF the circumstance that automo. /
,iles arc not restricted 10 tracks. A |
potor car may even whisk unexpected {
around corDor at any moment, {
atcbing tho wayfarer unawares. But |
leoplc ordinarily do not wait: they {
imply take their chances, and dodge. II
They do not always escape, however, i
y the mortality records show. But (
is interesting to learn that, taking |
be whole country over. two ont of {
very three automobile victims are oc- {
'upants of the cars which suffer the 2
lceidents Some are killed in collisions 7
With locomotives, in the manner al. 2
eady described: others are upset while
ycing at high speed (tbe vehicle often {
turning turtle ~; still others run !
yer embankments, and yet others arc $
,lown mp by explosions Of gasoline. !,