Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-11
MOTOR CARS SAFETY
RECORD IS UNUSUAL
Francis NJ. Smith, State Secretary OF
New York, Gathers Data ON
the Subject.
AUTOS NOT MOST DANGEROUS
Motor Cars Form 75 Per Cent OF
Total Traffic, and Records Show
There Is an Average OF One Death
to Every 100 ,OOO-Niile Run.

For some time past there has cx-
isted certain agitation against motor
Nchicles on tho ground that they cause
more accidents than other vehicles. SAYS
francis NJ Hugo. secretary OF New
ork state. Every one desires TO lessen
the number OF accidents caused nv all
forms OF locomotlon hut preIudiced
statements have bcrn, and are being
MADE. and many persons are inclined
10 place these on tho same basis as
~ thcN wcr" tested evidence While
u is. OF course. impossible Ia con-
tfadict every missta;emcnt nevcrthc-
less some statistics may Inc presented
'"r comment and criticism
first OF all. attention is drawn to
nc common dclusion. often misuuoted
rs fact. that motor cars arc tho most
DANGEROUS form of traffic. because they
XIII and injur" NOR" persons per vehicle
~ is obvious ON every or any compari-
son. that everything depends. no, upou
mo distance run 10y different vehicles
IN III" day. week month or vn,r t:nr
instance. four whccl.d cab which
runs twelve miles - DAY iucurs snar,
from other "nnsid' rationy less risI;
man motor omnibus which is driven
Ica miles dav "
mere ar" other considerations such
'N conEcstcd traffic points where r;.k
Of accidents is great as co,up;rcJ ,,.i,h
"Stricts where tho streets are wide
ana litile 'ranic cXists I; is tb.rc
'"r". fallacious To compare statistics
hc.1H"ntS upon Tn" number Of motor
N'n''lcs only without taking into con-
H'ocraton other circumstances Whop
" is stated. az IL froOuen-Iv has b,,,
mat motor vehicles arc moro danrorous
o. NOR" deadly than any other form
-! 'ocomoti"n. such assertions must he
discounted
nsain common Statement, ha, been
""he mat tho number O. accidents
"Hscd ny motor vehicles has Lately
Increased out of all due propor,tons
:? IN" Increase I'm their number with
ierence I" this. IL may bn pointed out
'aat about seven years AGO uho, ~
-P"F cent OF the tram WAS mcchanjc,I
ana - per cent horse drawn /, v.ns
natural that tho proportiou NJ acci
hthts attributable to motor csrs s,o,Id
re IN about tho same ratio Now. ho,y
inc proportion is entirely re-
'N"'Sen, ana motor cars form nearly :,
i"r cont OF tho total tranjc Thc ~,
"cr o. accidents caused by motor ychi
''es mas. therefore Increased cyory vc,-
ana soon motor vehicles viii c,usa
90 per cent az the sccfdcp,. u,bon
there viii he no other Kind ~ ~
icit. Already In certain thorourhf,ro.
~ 'he large! cities the motor frame
io.ns moro than - per cent OF inc
TN. motor omnibus. which in some
ruar'ers is described as a "iurrc-
haut and scare headlines CONSTANTLY
appear describing its death-deaIinr
quantity. Is the next form OF motor.
car danger. 1T is tho most danrcr
Gus vehicle In the world" states ono
PAPER. "Harly n mile does i, 20
without causing an accident" saws
another "'
some general observation nigh,
DC made on the relative conditions
under which motor vehicles and Other
N"hicies are driven and used on tho
streets. Along thorourhfarcs in which
no rails arc laid the fast tran,c can
keep 10 tn" center OF the street. Will.
SION trahc can keep To the side
one moro assertion may he made
mat motor vehicles are the least
dangerous. Judged by the faircst test
IN" number OF miles run When their
speed and weight arc taken into CON
siderEtion II is nothing short OF
marvellous that SO few accidents nr.
caused when so many motor vehicles
run so many miles
According to the last report of tho
National Highway Society. the number
OIL deaths caused by motor vehicles
throughout tho State amounted to so
giving an average OF one death 10 eyery.
100000 miles run