The Detroit times., 1917-10-10
Automobile Menace
HN ~. Arlington nRUCE
Author ~ "rhe Riddle OF Person
aittv. Psychology and
parcnthood etc

Here is a tragic fact TO which 1
would call he Alteration OF every
man and woman who drives an auto.
mobile
According 70 the latest available
statistics. 5.s7S persons we're killed
hy automobiles in "A single wear in
ne registration area OF The United
States
The previous year only 2.Se6 sui
Tered death from this cause In one
year. that Il TO say. the automobiIe
ueath rate rose from 4.3 per hundred
thousand population 20 so. AN i'm
crease ~ 81 per cent.
had there been but IS morn
deaths Ia the year OF The
larger total. automobile acct
cents IN fhe registration area would
nave cost as many lives as acct
cents with street cars. subway
trains, elevated trains. bicyr-s and
All horsedrawn vehicles combined
hese hgures relate 90 the years
1914 and 1915 Complete fKures
Tor 1916 are not vet 20 hand II
seems safe 20 predict that they will
snow another increase.
This surely is worth more than
passing thought r. Automobiles
lJ ought 10 carry an emphatic and
sufficient warning.
II is useless 10 argue that the IN.
creased number OF deaths NAV be
attributed 20 increased use OF auto
mobiles. This would only mean
th9t more automobiles were being
efN"n Ot people either temperament
ally unit or lacking the necessary
sA.u 20 drive them. such undoubt-
edly Is the case
Talking only a Few dayS ago With
- ff''-rrssi0u5T chaufeuT of many
years experience, was told thar
the past summer had been Ike
nightmare 20 him, because OF tho
Incompetence ~ many owner chaufe
Tours whom he met on the New Eng
land roads.
There ought 20 be laws all thru
The country ne insisted vigorously.
10 compel every bocy who wants 20
lfiye a car 20 pGss 81 examination
Tor a chauNeur's License
People take out owners licenses
and start 70 drive. sometimes With.
out having learned as much as the
rules of the road Untr they pick
ID - y = = > = - ~
are Danger 10 themselves. 20 other
a4tan,]o lists. and 10 people making
use % the roads on foot or IN car.
riages
have met more Automobiles
this summer than ever who neglect
Cd 90 blow their horns when nearing
curves or crossroads. who drove on
the wrong side OF the road. and who
did not even know how 20 pass
another car pr0nerlx This huslnnaa
ought 20 be stopped
Decidedly II ought 70 - stopped
II II up 20 state authorities 20 pass
laws that Will pat incompetent auto
mohilists ont Of business
II Is UP 70 city and town author
tiles 70 enforce without fear or
favor laws designed 20 make our
roads safer for all who use them
And q is up 20 every present in
competent driver and every pros
pec'iye purchaser OF an automobile
70 acquire automobile skin lest no
endanger his own lie and the lives
~ DINERS.
This ought 70 be matter OF con.
science not OF convenience.
II may be convenient and pleas
ant 10 own and drive m automobile
But q Is positively criminal 20 drive
unless truly competent % do so
II you who read these lines drive
car ot your own. and In al hon
esty must admit that you are NOT
safe and skilful driver. turn your car
over 10 somebody who can safely
drive q until you have taken the
training you need
Wake up Wake up mentally and
morally Don't go on trusting 20
luck" Only fools do that