Arizona republican., 1922-05-28
SAFETY CAMPAIGN
GAINS MOMENTUM
THROUGH COUNCIL

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 be-
ing held or are being planned For
this reason two sections of safety
Lessons for Automobile Drivers" are
here reprinted by courtesy of the Ma
tional Safety Council.
No laws prohibit pedestrians from
using the streets. In fact, pedestri-
ans have equal rights on the streets
with automobiles and other vehicles.
Just because some pedestrians use
the streets needlessly and incautious-
ly, there is no excuse for the drivers
of motor vehicles not taking every
,precaution to avoid injuring pedes-
trians. Pedestrians outnumber driv-
ers by about IA to /, and if drivers
as a rule become too careless, pedes-
TRANS can pass Cor cause to be
passed) laws that so restrict the use
of motor vehicles that their efficient
operation would no longer be possi-
BILE. Drivers can think of many laws
that if enacted and enforced could
limit the movement of the pedestri-
an, but until such laws are passed
We must remember that the law is
usually on the side of the pedestrian.
Automobile drivers must be es-
pecially careful to avoid injuring
pedestrians who cross the street at
the middle of the block.
Many accident happen at regular
crossings. If pedestrians do not pay
attention to your horn. remember
that some people are deaf. while
others are mentally deficient, and
that hundreds of people are using
the streets whose old age. youth in
firmities, and physical defects would
throw all the responsibility upon you.
Be especially careful when two or
more people are crossing the streets
together Quite often before an ap-
preaching automobile one person
may stop, or they may separate and
go in opposite directions.
Above all, do not unnecessarily
squawk your horn. Pedestrians
may be easily frightened and tempo
rarily 'paralyzed."
Drivers should stop ten feet be-
hind street cars which have stopped
to load or unload passengers.
People who have just alighted
from trolley car are sometimes be-
wildered and do not know which
way to go. Give them plenty of time
to get their bearings before attempt
ing to pass them.
Regardless of who you think is
at fault if your car Injuries or kills
some other person you are usually
held responsible. Juries are inclined
to be sympathetic toward and favor
the pedestrian.
Moreover, no matter who Is to
blame and in spite of large sums of
money paid for damages the dead
cannot be brought to life, nor could
anything or anybody console you in
case the one killed happened to be
your wife, your child or someone
else near and dear to You.
Approximately 2S per cent of all
persons killed by automobiles are
children under Is years of age.
Many drivers are careful on con-
gested business districts. but careless
in residential and other districts
where children are numerous.
In spite of the danger many chill
dren make the streets their play
grounds. or inchasing each other or
ball they may suddenly dash into
the street right in front of NOV
ing vehicle
Drivers should assume that every
child on or near the street is going to
dash suddenly in front of their cars.
You cannot tell by looking at. a child
what it is going to do. You should,