The Washington herald., 1921-12-11
CHILDREN KILLED
UNDER IS YEARS
OLD GREAT LOSS
Warns Drivers to Show
Care When Pedestrians
Cross Streets.
SOME TRAFFIC HINTS
DO Not "Squawk" Your Horn;
1t Frightens Persons
Into Inaction.
SOME TRAFFIC HINTS

The extreme Importance Of the
safety movement seems lately to
have become far more universally
recognized than ever before. In
hundreds of communities safety
drives either have been held, are
being held, or are being planned.
Automobiles and Pedestrians.
l. No laws prohobit pedestrians
from using the streets. In fact,
pedestrians have equal rights on
the streets with automobiles and
other vehicles. Just because some
pedestrians use the streets need
lessly and incautiously, there Is no
excuse for the drivers OF motor We
hicles not taking every precaution
to avoid injuring pedestrians.
Pedestrians outnumber drivers by
about fourteen to one. and IL drivers
as rule become too careless,
pedestrians can pass Cor cause TO
be passed) laws that so restrict the
use Of motor vehicles that their er-
ficfent operation would no longer be
possible. We. as drivers, can think
Of many laws that II enacted and
enforced could limit the movement
Of the pedestrian, but until such
laws are passed we must remember
that the law is usually on the side
Of the pedestrian.
. Automobile drivers must be
especially careful to avoid injurinG
pedestrians who cross the street at
the middle of the block.
3. Many accidents happen at reg
uIar crossings II pedestrians do
not or will not pay attention 10
your horn, remember that some
people are deaf while others are
mentally deficient. and that hun
dreds of people are using the
streets whose old age. youth. in
hrmities. and physical defects would
throw all the responsibility Of an
accident upon you.
T. Be especially careful when two
or more people are crossing the
street together. Quite often before
an approaching automobile one
person may stop. or they may
separate and go in opposite direc-
tions.
5. Above all. do not unnecessarily
or suddenly squawk your horn
Pedestrians may be easily fright.
ened and temporarily ''paralyzed"
s. Drivers should stop ten feet
behind street cars which hav.
stopped to load or unload pas.
sengers. In some cities where there
are safety zones automobiles are
permitted to pass standing cars il
they do so slowly and at least eight
feet from the side of the car.
7 People who have just alighteC
from a trolley car are sometime.
bewildered and 40 not know which
way to go. Give them plenty Of
time to get their bearings before
attempting 70 pass them.
3. Regardless Of who you think Is
at fault il your car Injuries or kills
some other person you are usually
held responsible Juries are IN
clined to he svmpathAtic towards
and favor che pedestrian.
. Moreover. no matter who was
to blame and in spite Of large sum,
Of money paid for damages" the
dead cannot he brought to life. nor
could anything or ANYBODY console
you in case the one killed happened
to he your wife. your child. or some
one else near and dear to you.
Automobiles and Children,
10. Approximately % per cent Of
all persons killed by automobiles
are children under IS years Of age.
II. Many drivers are careful on
cOngested business streets, but
careless in residential and other
districts where children are numer-
Gus.
II In spite Of the danger. many
children make the streets their
playground. or in chasing each
other or ball they may suddenly
dash into the street right in from,
Of moving vehicle.
Is. Drivers should assume that
every child on OF near the street Is
going to dash suddenly in front Of
their ears. You cannot tell by look
ing at a child what II is going to
DO. You should. therefore. drive
slowly and have absolute control OF
your car
2. Not only when children are
playing in the street, but also
when they are playing near
the curb. or on the sidewalk
J.. When passing schools or
Fairgrounds.
9. When approaching persons
on bicycles. tricycles. roller
skates. Riddle cars. etc
4. When approaching young
sters who are "hitching a
ride" on the vehicle ahead.
=. When passing ice wagons
and street sprinklers.
Il: Drivers should remember the
following:
a. Caution your own and other
peoples children about the
dangers OF the street.
h. Do not allow anyone to ride
on the running board real
tire. or bumper OF your car
c. Persons on bicycles. or roller
skates. or in carts should not
be permitted to hitch on your
car.
Is. In many communities school
children are being taught safety
Automobile drivers should cooper.
ute in this good work and take
every preraution to prevent acci-
dents to children.
1e II YOU expect other persons tc
avoid iniurin- your children. you
should take care not to iniure the
children Of Others.-The Oldsmobile
FCarcmaker.