Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-25
Automobile Accidents.

|
officials are not sufficient. a girl dice
in the hospital at Waterville, Wednes.
day, from an accident the previous
| evening; another girl is still in the
hospital there, from a previous acct
dent. Lewiston reports several seri-
Gus accidents. of late, and other places
| are contributing their quotas.
OF course not all of these accidents
are due TO carelessness, overspeeding
or dare deviltry, but some of them
would not have been recorded had all
drivers been as careful and skilful as
the majority are. 1t is the reckless
small percentage of those entrusted
with the handling of powerful engines
in the common highway. that casts
reproaeh upon the whole.
Ne have had occasion, several times
digna ton at the reckless performances
of some men who drive automobiles.
We recently saw shallow Drained
nincompoop dash up Augustus prinei-
pal business street at a busy hour of
the day, when it was crowded with
electric cars, teams and pedestrians.
at speed not less than 80 miles an
hour. Darling in and out among the
traffic to show his nerve and skill.
this fellow jeopardized the lives and
limbs of a score of people, and only
the hand of a watchful Providence
prevented a gruesome horror.
That man discredited the army of
people who drive motor cars. He ought
to have been made an example for
warning others who aspire to "show
off,"
Admitting that the percentage of ac-
cidents that might have been avoided
by ordinary care of the driver. to be
small, We believe it is proportional to
the number of reckless drivers among
the whole. Some men who go tearing
IfIOQSil tliCa SlIttlS O1ltIsIbte NbH-
troll of high power engine, would
never be entrusted with the care of
locomotive which is always confined to
its own highway. Shrewd heads of in
dpstrial concerns would know better
than to trust them with company
property. The same would be true in
case of electric car companies, who
do not trust their property and the
lives of the public to any but reliable
men.
Yet our State confers licenses to
operate high power engines in the pub
lie highway, upon mere boys and girls,
and on inexperienced and reckless men,
for a small sum of money. And the
flimsy provisions and restrictions of
the laws and ordinances are ignored,
while officials accept the popular toler-
ance and are quiescent.
OF course no driver, nor even the
most reckless or needless, ever runs
over human being purposely or ma
liciously, and Of course they are very
sorry after having killed someone
likely to be more careful,-but 1t is
painfully evident that this class of
human beings are ready to take far
more chances on the life of someone
else than they are on their own. And
this makes it public duty to impress
upon such a public menace the stern
necessity of exercising utmost caution
or of suffering severely for the dam
age he causes. 1t is small consola
ton to the victim or his friends that
the driver is sorry and ready to be
more careful. 81
II is not far to 90 to expect that
cities and towns ultimately will be
held responsible for such accidents
caused by irresponsible parties licens-
ed by the State to hazard the public.
Why not? There is no other redress
for victims in many instances, and 1t
is a municipal duty to enforce restrlc-
tons intended to prevent accidents.
Briefly stated Financially RESPONSE
Bile concerns refuse to employ, to han
die their locomotives, electric cars
steamers, etc, any but experienced,
sober, level-headed, reliable men-be-
cause the company is held for any dam
age that can be placed as an act OF
their employe or agent. In the casC
! Of the State licensing men to run en-
gines of destruction Gin thousand
| times broader field there is no sucf
| financial responsibility and, hence, nc
| intelligent discrimination. lncompe
tents in all meanings of the word
| boozers, rattleheads, children, all ar
! granted the right, for small annua
| fee, to exercise their bents at publl
+, expense with legal restrictions prac
| teal dead letter.
/ But this state of affairs cannot al
ways GO on. The public is patient AM
long suffering but, despite its admir-
! alton for and enjoyment of auto