El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-26
SKIDDING
ENDANGERS
TRAFFIC
Wet Streets and Slippery
Pavements Cause Many Of
the Accidents.
TAKE CARE IN
TURNING CORNERS

The recent agitation among the in
surance companies regarding the great
increase in automobile accidents within
the last few years and the marked in
tontion of some OF the accident insur-
ance men to increase their rates has
led the more careful owners and drivers
to inquire what the causes Of these &C
cidents are
One Of the most prolific causes of ac-
cidents in city streets is skidding. Not
less than so percent Of the slids en-
countered are not at all due to negIi-
gence on the part of the driver. An
accident which may happen to any one
occurs when the car comes upon a
freshly sprinkled stretch of asphalt and
Is compelled by traffic exfgencies to
make a quick stop. When the brakes
are set hard on an occasion OF this kind
the car is sure to start sliding because
the back wheels are locked. If the
FRACTIONAL grip OF the tires on the wet
check this slip before it becomes dan
SerOUS, there IS no danger TO be feared.
Where the skid is not checked, how
ever, the car IS entirely out OF the
drivers control, unless by a mere
chance he may again apply the Do ..Cr
and secure sufficient traction 20 get
the SKID IS not prevented an accident
IS extremely probable if the traffic is
dense An accident of this kind is in
frequent when the relative number Of
the cars IN use in the streets of a city
IS considered still it is sufficiently fire.
Queut to make a considerable number
when taken in the aggregate.
The chief objection to asphalt as 4
pavement is its slipperiness at the
slightest moisture. The dust which set
lLes on the surface of the asphalt COM
pines with the water to make a. thin
layer or paste which acts in about the
same manner as q slippery grade of
axle grease would do should IL be
spread upon the surface of the road.
II IS fact that a little moisture on
the asphalt road VIII make il more
slippery than you'd be the case with
a heavy rain. This is due to the fact
that when the rain becomes sufficiently
heavy II washes the mud off the sur
face OF the road and takes away the
slippery mixture which is so apt to
cause a skid at the slightest semblance
of locking the wheels. The advice
which is often handed out by people
who are in & position of knowing, TO
put the chains on at once is 20 airy
perSiflage.
Collision on account of the ignorance
of traffic regulations also sends many
cars to the repair shops, and passen-
gers 20 the hospital Ignorance of
the law is no defence Of its infractiOn
and VIII not keep an offender out of
Jail or free from the imposition of a
fine. The traffic policeman is an ex-
cellent Institution, but entire confidence
cannot be placed in him unless every
driver understands his signals and
whistles.
WheV approaching an avenue slow
down to almost a stop if the avenue is
much travelled If the turn is to be
made to the left the car should be driv-
en- straight across the road past the
central intereseCting point of the street
and the avenue and the turn made be-
yOnd this point. If the turn is to be
made to the right it should be made
close to the curb so as to allow a We
hicle coming straight down the ave-
nue. to pass
Another way to prevent accidents in
driving is to always sound the !
signal when passing a car. A !
driver viii often make a sudden swerve I
to avoid the deep holes which are fire.
quently found even in the most trav- {
eled of the city streets Should another I
car be in the act of passing as this .
swerve is made by a driver who does [
not know that there is a car on his left, /
an accident having serious consequeL ces /
to the running gear of either or both /
cars may enSue.