Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-08
Children Should Be Taught to
Guard Against Accident,
Says r. n. Elliott.
UNIFORM TRAFFIC LAWS
DECREASE DEATH LIST
Commissioner Newman Contrasts
Fatalities of War and Peace at
"Safety-First" Meeting.

first" were features of an address made
by Frederick H. Elliott, general secre-
rary of the Safety First Society of
New York, at a meeting at the Cham
Der Of Commerce, under the auspices of
the Washington Safety Association last
evening. Uniform traffic laws, eGuca-
ton OF school children. support Of the
police by the people, rigid enforcement
of laws against all classes, with power
of suspension and revocation OF IL
censes, were some of the points upon
which special emphasis is being laid
in number of cities which he has
visited in his tour in the interests of
the safety movement.
oliver P. Newman. president of the
board of District Commissioners, who
pfesided, contrasted the number of
fatalities through accidents in times
of peace. with the casualties of war.
At tho end Of Mr.. Elliotts address, he
thanked the safety first" man on be-
half of the audience saying that the
talk was full Of suggestions from
which he hoped to profit. William F.
Peabody, president Of the washington
safe+v Association, introduced Com
missioner Newman.
Of Primary Importance.
Speaking of safety work along other
lines, Mr.. Elliott said in part:
TT ia generally agreed that there is
no more important activity to be I'M
dertaken in our municipalities at the
present time than the movement 10
safeguard the lives and limbs OF our
citizens.
EVERY public official and every civic
organization and the people generally
should take such measures as are
needed to protect our citizens from IN
Jury caused by accidents. The chiioren
particularly are entitled to speciaa Pr .S.
lection. Up to date the increase IN the
number of accidents has been all out
Of proportion to the increase IN popu-
lation. .,;
.The congested streets with their
dense traffic of pedestrians and We
hicles. the fast motor car, motor cycles
and electric trolleys. which nave re-
placed the horse-drawn vehlcles' the
more feverish rush OF the popuiation'
combined with greater use OF mechanl-
tally responsible for the increasing
number of preventable accidents.
"On the basis of the present popuia-
ton OF the United States, between Sow
600 and 100000 people are under sen
tence of death from accident at any I'M
known moment during the next ten
The number of people accidentally
killed and disabled annually In the
United States is equal to the popula-
ton of New York city. The chance
that a person will meet with some dis
abling injury is eleven times greater
than the chance of his death from any
and all causes.
.'Ths hazard of city streets is shown
by the record of $4,000 people killed
and injured in the streets OF Chicago in
1913 according to the report OF the city
attorney
New York's Heavy List.
Five hundred and ninety-five people
were killed and 400 were injured by We
hicles and over $50 were killed and 49,
900 injured on the traction systems In
New York city in 1913. according to the
report of the public service commission.
The census report for the total popu-
lation shows that in 1909 there were
$4,000 people accidentally killed In the
United States.
From the reports of one of the largest
accident insurance companies We learn
that there were 40 cases Of disabling
injuries to every accidental death. for
the amount of benefits paid for accl.
dental death. disaolement and loss or
sight constituted 46 per cent of the total
benefits paid. Some accidents have In
creased faster than others. as shown by
this report. Ten years ago automobile
accidents were rare. In 1913 they con-
tributed 15.5 per cent of the total num-
Der and 21.s per cent of the total bene-
fits paid. Travel accidents lead in the
seriousness of their results. their lila
per cent of the total number con-
tributing 1875 per cent of the total bene-
Ats. and in 1913 there were no catastro-
Plies included. such as the sinking of the
Titanic or Empress of Ireland.
Accidents in the home. where people
are generally supposed to be safest, con-
trihuted nearly one-quarter, Of the total
number and about II per cent of the
total benefits.
I'm the newspapers, especially Mon
day morning. we read of the horrible
sacrifice of humanity to the criminal
negligence of vehicle drivers and opera
tors. 1t is the belief Of our officers. who
have given the subject careful study and
consideration. that if these conditions
are to be effectively ended strenuous eff
forts must bS made to check the present
frenzy for speed upon the public thor
oughfares. with its riotous disregard Of
human life"