New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04

Every one must deplore the waste
of life and limb as a result OF hIgh-
UNIV accidents and would welcome
anv practical suggestion by which IT
is likely to be reduced. But no gooo
purpose is served by attempting TO
throw the whole blame on the motor
car traffic. 1t is true that OF tne
total accidents, fatal and otherwise
last wear nearly 80 per cent were
attributable to motor yehiciea dIu
that the proportion IS conslderd5!oiy
higher than it was in the preceding
year But it is equally true tnat
orse-drawn vehicles were response
bic for 20 per cent, and that lac.
suggests that just as the evil IS nol
confined 10 motor vehicles 50 inc
measures to be taken to remedy ~
must not be considered Win refer
ence to them alone.
II futher suggests that since
horse-drawn vehicles mainly ran IN
der the category of slow traiflc tne
rernedv is not to be found IN whole-
sale imposition of speed limits as ~, -
often suggested. The fallacy OF tne
sneed limit is that it acts as sort
of license permitting the drivers 10
drive I'D TO the speed it specliles IN
nlaces at which it is enforced
whereas the safe speed is often, per
hans generally, a function not 50
much of the place as of the clrcum-
stances existing at the moment
Speed limits, in fact, tend 10 MAKE
the driver suspend the exercise OF
his own judgment and act under the
sanction of a supposed authority
and the way to stop accidents is not
n establish artificial restrictions
which cannot meet every case put
IN allow the driver free scope Tor ms
own Judgment and hold him fully re
sponsible for whatever happens III
consequence of what he does. re
lentless prosecution should FOL
low every example of dangerous
reckless and even grossly inconsld-
crate driving; and for really serious
offences that are proved beyond
doubt the culprits should be I'M
prisoned without the option OF a me
and should be prohibited from driV-
ing either for a substantial period or
perpetually.
No doubt. as many persons COM
plain. it is more difficult to secure
a conviction for dangerous driving
than for exceeding a speed limit, be
cause in the one case it is matter
of opinion and in the other 1t IS or
should be a question OF facts; put
that only makes conviction or the
former kind, when secured, more
, valuable and effective than one for
an offence which is commonly looked
upon as purely nominal and which
is committed by most motorists
habitually and probably by all oc-
casionally.
Those who think that speed is the
great cause of street accidents. might
do worse than consider the posi-
bility of establishing their case by
facts instead of relying upon vague
enunciations. There is room and
there should be material for a sys-
tematic investigation of the subject.
Presumably a coroner's inquest was
held on each of the hundreds of
deaths that were recorded last year
as the result of street accidents, and
critical scrutiny of the evidence
given and the verdicts returned at
those inquiries ought to show how
far the accidents were reasonably
attributable to the speed at which
the vehicles concerned were travel
ling.
The words careful and prudent"
are inserted in the law because OBJ
viously vehicles must be allowed to
move at some speed above a walking
pace if they are to serve the needs