The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-12
AU1ONOHII.I ACCIDENTS
rms (Tr.
STATE mcht b, the Highways Protective
society stat list iciaN.

stat, mcht by the Highways prOtcctI>
society stattst,cian.
TO ruE Eprron or THE SuN--Sir. There
WIS recently made public in TIE Sun an
announcement that the Manhattan Auto
mobile club had indorsed a resolution
prepared by large committee OF that
club "deprccating the activities OF the
alleged National Highways Protective So
cicty. which apparently does no other
work than send to the newspapers so
called statistics with no other object than
TO attack the Automobiles Of this city
and to prejudice the public OF the city
against them"
As the individual chiefly guilty Of tho
preparation of tho so-Callcd statistics
which the resolution almost seems to ad-
NIT might serve 10 arouse public interest
IN automobile accidents. I present n few
facts In connection with them, leaving
the public to judge whether they are
unfair and prejudced. Mr.. Cordner. pres
ident Of the Manhattan Automobile club.
is reported 10 have said:
inasmuch a. every happening in which
an automobile is concerned IL put down as
! an accident. and later on IL made TO appear
criminal csrclessness on the part Of tho
motorist. we do not think these are fair
and true statistics.
In 1913 the National Highways Pro-
tective Society recorded that 29S pedes-
trians were knocked down by automobiles
In this city and were mortally hurt. II
would seem that there could be no ques-
ton that automobiles were more or less
responsible for these deaths. A more
doubtful class OF accidents IL that due
to collisions between automobiles and
other vehicles. to which perhaps Mr..
Cordner intended his remarks to apply
There were on our records six fatalities
H.. - ri. t.-s T..
the blame was put upon the other
vehicle involved. leaving four fatalities
duo to collisions In which We put tho
blame on the motor car. one OF these.
according to newspaper accounts. was a
Joy riding party In the second. the
chauffeur according to tho same source.
was guilty of reckless driving. and In the
third the driver OF the automobile was
arrested and charged with homicide. In
the last case he had taken out the car
without the owners consent, an offence
which constitutes grand larceny. Per
haps II was unfair In these cases to put
the blame on the automobile. az II might
arouse the prejudices of the unthinking
public.
II may have seemed 90 tho gentlemen
OF the Manhattan AUTOMOBILES Club that
our figures for fatal accidents are exap-
cerated. Maybe they are. but II so. then
tho coroners figures are grossly exag-
ptNdtttl. nS IN every year curing Wnlcn
this society has kept records our totals
have fallen about = per cent below the
coroners figures, tn" difference being due.
we supposed. To- the fact that this So
ciety has not counted automobile acci-
dents such As those due 10 defective
equipment, skiddinC or JOY riding. where
the driver alone was the victim. We are
sorry If this fact damages the Nanhat
tan Automobile Clubs theory tina, every
happening In which an automobile IL con-
cerned Is put down as an accident" but
facts are famously stubborn things FOR
theories TO collide with.
But perhaps Mr.. Cordner thought our
totals of non-fstHl automobile accidents
exaggerated. We had record of about
1900 In this city last year. or a ratio OF
one fatal 10 3? non-faial In London.
where records are more carefully kept
than we hav. found Il practicable 10 do.
the ratio is I fatal accident TO &c non
fatal. In Chicago fatal 20 - non
fatal. and in the German Empire FOR
period Of six wears fatal to IL non
fatal. We make "A general practice OF
excluding all but ambulance cases. which
accounts IN part FOR tn" difference. but
we regret tina; our sources of Information
for this city have been 80 iundeouatc
II Mr.. Corduer now thinks our figures
exaggerated and radical We should III"
to have him explain his definition of con
servatlsm
Ono thiug more. tho gentleman n
question states: AS "" understand X.
IA grade crossing accident resulting IN
death Of passengers in the car L. "A death
due to automobiling" lie might better
have said las We misunderstood r. as.
although this society does keep a record
OF persons IN automobiles killed AZ grade
crossings. thos. deaths are NOT st down
20 automobillng. but TO grade crossing
accidents.
II seems a matter 90 regret that the
publication Of facts should arouse the
Manhattan Automobile Clubs antago-
nism. II Is undoubtedly true that more
than twice az many persons were killed
by motor vehicles IN this city in 1913
rs In 1911 II the publication Of this
fact arouses prejudice against automo-
billsts. the remedy would seem 70 be NOT
In denying that . plus equals I. but =
cooperating with al! those who recognize
that tho traffic problem In great cities
has become enormously complicated BY
tho development ~ motor tra'lc, and
that It's Just solution requires calm tudg-
ment based upon thorough study of tho
facts
Lighting engineers have long been
seeking a lamp that would dlspel dark
ness without emitting heat The need OF n
similar lamp OF truth ls equally great
ERNEST : Cloves Statist!cian.
Snpt February