Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1921-09-01


ious position, might elect to take the
very last avenue of escape open, and
turn wide 10 his left, trusting Ii VIII
hold the road.
This To some degree will illustrate
our point In the mattcr;-niter a
has violated cardinal rule OF the
road collision Of some nature ~
then practically unavoidable But
Ind both PARTIES acted prudcntly, A
slowing up To allow II to pass the
hnrricade. aud I, on his part making
sure of himself by placing his car
under complete control, no such ser
ious situation would have developed
Even the collision with the garage
door that blows partly shut AFTER
Won start TO back out Is not In the
true sense Of the word unavoidable
for another glance to the rear wouid
have revealed the condition.
II Is lust the little careless, heed
less acts that occasion the majority
of collisions. There IL, too. the selhsh
element of "horning In ahead Oh
another motOrist that results 0ften
times in serious injuries, plus the
criminal disregard for the rights ana
safety OF others, the speeder ana the
intoxicated driver.
There is another class OF COLLISION
promoter. the will.be- motorist. Those
learning to drive who are over-ven-
turesome cndangering themselves
and the lives and property OF others
by sallying forth before their driv-
ing pin feathers have slipped their
sheaves and unfurled.
II all automobiles were operated
with a margin Of safety fewer acci-
dents would occur. As an example:
instead OF passing another vehicle
with a leeway Of six inches, widen
this margin OF safety to twenty four
inches. This same extra allowance
can he profitably applied to speed
turning radius, starting and stop
ming as we'll as to the passing OF
others.
4 large percentage Of all collisions
can he directly traced to the entire
failure of the motorist who changes
the course of, or stops his car to give
n proper farm signal" 1t is of major
that every driver observe
that law.
Many accidents are occasioned by
the half hearted and lax manner III
which these signals are made. 1t
Is often difficult correctly to inter-
pref signal given in an indefinite
gesture. 1t has only one advantage
over no warning at all in that IL
places the other driver on the alert
for some anticipated action on the
part Of the former.
The failure to look is productive
Of serious accidents. This is most
noticeable in drivers pulling away
from curbings. That type of COLI
sion invariably is occasioned by
those operators failing to look to the
rear before starting out.
The condition Of brakes contrib
ute directly to great number or col
lisions. We are prone to pay too
little attention to that most impor-
tant factor of safety. Procrastinat-
ing for time until the collision
occurs which could have been avoid
ed by thirty minute adjustment
or the refining of the bands.
1t is safe to say 80 per cent of all
the grieving over injury and loss OF
life. aside from the financial cost
of damage to automobiles and prop
crty, could possibly be avoided by
careful operation of automobiles
keeping always on the alert, leaving
a comfortable margin for safety, OBJ
serving right Of way rules, giving
the proper farm signal and driv-
ing past others as you would have
other drive past you.
Take this recipe along with your
picnic lunch on every outing:
A full measure Of caution.
A level measure Of consideration
for the rights and safety of others.
Three tablespoons Of looks
straight ahead, to the left, to the
right.
Steer, brake, observe, and be