The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-11-12
EDUCATION SAVES LIVES.

Practical results from safety edu-
cation are shown in a recent report of
the Detroit police department. which
records a decrease of "a per cent in
automobile accidents during the first
nine months Of 1921 as compared with
the corresponding month of 1920
Detroit has been in the front rank
of cities which engaged extensively in
safety education and the reward is
seen in the remarkable conservation
Of lives indicated in the police de-
partment report. During the first
nine months of 1920, 62 children were
killed on the streets Of that city,
whereas for that same period during
1921 the number dropped to A. The
number of motor cars increased.
A similar decrease is sougth through
out the United States by the High
way and Highway Transport Educa-
ton committee, which points to the
Detroit record as showing the practi-
cal form of safety education in the
schools. AS a means of reducing the
number Of accidents and fatalities
which reaches a total in excess of
10 900 annually, the committee is un-
dertaking national safety campaign
with the cooperation of national as
sociations and local civic clubs and
organizations.
This campaign includes the OBJ
servance of National Safety Week"
December 4 to 10. and it is planned to
stress the need for safety education
through two contests in the schools of
the country.
One OF these contests is through
grammar school children who are be-
ing urged to write essays on the sub
ject How Can 1 Make the Highways
More Safe" The other contest is
among grammar school teachers who
are invited to prepare safety lessons
teaching children correct behavior on
the highways. AS a reward for their
efforts and an incentive to participate,
more than $50 prizes for pupils have
been donated by the National Automo-
bile Chamber of Commerce, which also
offers three national prizes for the
best lessons prepared by teachers.
| In addition to their usual safety ed
ucation, the Detroit schools, under the
leadership of City Superintendent
Cody and Miss Harriet t. Beard,
showed willingness to take leading
part in the national campaign. AS a
result. it is believed the majority of
pupils and teachers in the city will
enter the prize contests.
Detroit, however, is not alone in list
leagerness to insure the lives of its
children through proper educational
methods. Los Angeles. San Francisco,
Atlanta, St. Louis, New York City.
New Orleans, Dallas and virtually ev-
! cry city of Importance in the country
has signified through its authorities
an intention of taking an active part
in the national campaign.
Summing up the total number of
fatal automobile accidents as indi-
Gated by the Detroit police department
it is found that 1o6 lives We're lost
during the first nine months of 1920.
For the same period during 1921, 20
were lost. The 1920 fatalities oc
Cured as follows: passenger cars, TO-;
light trucks, 8 !; heavy trucks. IS: taxi
cabs. 8. The 1921 figures indicate 50
accidents from passenger cars, 4 from
light trucks, IL from heavy trucks,
from taxicabs and 2 from jineys.
Efforts are being made by the High
way and Highway Transportation Ed
ucation committee, which is directing
the campaign, to procure similar sta
tistics from other cities. The commit
tee announces its willingness to answer
any inquiries regarding the safety
campaign or to reply to questions re-
garding any phase of safety work.