Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-21
CAR DRIVERS MUST
WATCH ROAD RULES
To AVOID TROUBLE
Pedestrians Also Obliged to
Observe Their Share of
Traffic Rules

Safety weeks are necessary in Great
Falls as in other places. In 1921 there
were more than one million and a half
people killed and injured in automobile
accidents-mOre than six times the
number of Americans that were killed
and injured in the world war. Those
accidents caused disabilities and prop
erty damages amounting to over one
billion dollars.
With ten million automobiles in every
imaginable state of mechanical fitness
on the roads and streets of America
today, directed by ten million drivers
of every conceivable shade of expert
ness and carelessness, the question of
safety in motoring has developed into
a problem which is the subject of much
study and discussion all over the United
States.
been displayed give some good advice
to both the pedestrian and the motor
list.
The first n is to Gross the
Street at the Corner
Those people who cross the street in
the middle of the block are known as
"jay-walkers' and are the cause Of
many avoidable accidents. The place to
cross the street in the downtown dis
tricts is at the corner INC the time will
undoubtedly come when "jay-walking'
will be n violation of the law. just the
same AZ passing a street car that is
taking on passengers.
Dont be a jay-walker.
The LeXt suggestion is also directed
az rhe pedestrian--'Look Before You
Cross"
1t seems absurd to have to tell a
sound minIp1 man RI Int hofnpa bo
ventures Ot:t into III. stree, hut if you
will stand on any street corner for five
minutes you will see person after per-
son start across the street. their heads
down, walking with as much nonchal-
ance as a debutante strolling across a
ballroom.
In capital letters the words, DRIVE
CAREFULLY" hit you right between
the eyes. Every person who has ever
driven knows what this means and VIC
assume that it needs no further ex-
PLANTATION.
Next comes the most important. or
possibly the next most important piece
of advice on the whole card-"Always
Give the Hand Signals"
Upon investigation it was found that
the majority of accidents are caused
by the failure of the driver TO give the
hand signal. For your information,
the adapted hand signals arctic stop
put hand straight out horizontally from
the body; for right turn. hand is held
above the horizontal position: for left
turn, hand is placed below the horizon
tai position. 1t is surh an easy matter
and requires but an instant to give
these signals. which tell the car behind
exactly what ytu intend doing and the
pedestrian on the corner which way
you are going to turn, failure to give
them is inexcusable.
Test Your Brakes'-is the next
good suggestion.
Motorists in general do not attach
sufficient Importance TO the brakes on
their cars. They will drive and drive,
knowing al the time that their brakes
are not II hundred per cent without
once considering tie responsibility
which would be theirs in case of an
emergency. A well-known brake lining
company has compiled a chart which
shows the distance in which your car
should stop when going at different
speeds. Unless YOUR car can come with
in this standard it is dangerous to both
Yourself and the publ. When the
brakes are not as they should be the
time to get them fixed is right now
tomorrow may be too late.
In the interests of the pedestrian the
card asks that you-"Give the Pedes-