The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
PROBLEM OF MOTOR
CAR ACCIDENTS
Special Inspectors Can Report
Men Who Drink and Those
who Are Reckless.
PEDESTRIANS CAN HELP
~ "A N. HUGO,
Secretary Of state.

How TO deal with the serious situa-
ton that exists BY reason OF the largo
number Of accidents involving motor
vehicles is a question TO which all
friends Of the automobile are giving
much thought. II II never out OF mind
nj, iitely by reason OF the frequency and
{le seriousness Of these unfortunate hap
Jennings a remedy Is being sought with
more thar ordinary vigor. The feeling
has become widespread anon the
ranks of car owners and drivers that
something should be done TO diminish
me death roll and the list of injured.
II Is natural therefore that the Sec
rotary OF states Office should he turned
20 for relief, for the reason that this de-
partment is charged with the admins
,ra,ion OF the motor vehicle rcgistra-
ton and license statute n through Its
,owers the regulation OF motor vehicles
IL In a very limited degree controlled.
'rha, the Secretary of Safes office Is
rot apathet!c IN the matter of acct.
dents bu. Is fully alive to It's response
bl,,y Is apparent from the fact that
4, has proposed from time to time GER
.ain remedies In it's efforts to diminish
accidents.
From complaints made directly to the
Secretary OF States oT'ce, from the oh.
ssr> alton OF special civilian inspectors.
Who are serving the Commonwealth
without pay, and from information to be
picked up In garages and from the local
police II Is felt that II will be possible
70 learn with considerable accuracy who
are the drivers that for one reason o.
another are most dangerous on the
road. They may ne drinking men Or
reckless or for some other reason UNI
fitted 10 operate. With such tnforma-
.ion available the Secretary OF states
Office can weed out from the great
number Of motor car operators some at
least OF those who are most likely to
cause accidents.
A great difhculty In the way of ham
ding the accident question effectively
IS the impossibility OF assigning DEFINITE
causes for the accident. They happen
at all times Of the day and night. In
the city and in the country. with cars
nat are driven rapidly and cars driven
slowly. on the open o and at cor
nsu. Even with the great quantity OF
material they have available the IN
spectors OF the automobile bureau are
able to draw only general conclusions,
though OF course they car attribute a
certain number OF accidents to intox!ca-
ton on the part Of the driver or 10 reck-
lessness. and more to careIessIIess on
the part Of the pedestrian.
Pedestrians undoubtedly bring dis
aster upon themselves by relying too
much on the watchfulness and ~au!ckness
oS the drivers OF automobiles they eN-
ercise too fully for their own safety
their right to Use the road This c Uses
people to step without looking INTO a
heavily travelled street or 20 wall
rom behind a street car directly into
Tho path Of vehicles. Too little ompha-
Fl. placed Ipon the dangers of the road
o. which traffic has more than dou'
htI during the past few years makes
Children unaware that they should he
~ careful about running into the streets
as they are about running upon = rail-
road track. Educational work alonG
this line, Il IL believed, will do much 10
diminish the number of accidents,