Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-22
PREVENTION OF AUTOMOBILE
ACCIDENTS =.

The various causes of automobile
accidents suggest. about as many
means Of prevention, and it is; not
surprising, to find columns Of news
paper editorial space devoted to the
subject of eliminating the risk, each
writer attacking the problem from
different angle. Each state has its
own problems to work out in the
campaign to diminish the number
of collisions and to cut down the
death rate due to automobile ac-
ctdents. And the need of even more
publicity to bring the solution OF
these problems to the people, is ap-
parent in the report made at the
last annual meeting Of the National
Highway Traffic Association that
during the last year $4,000 lives were
lost in this country in motor vehicle
Overcrowding in motorcars' was
responsible for many of the grade
crossing accidents in July of this
year, the Pennsylvania Railroad be-
1ieyes. On the tracks Of this great
system, the number of fatalities in
creased by 119. per cent. in July,
1928, over July, 1922. The railroad
statisticians make the point that if
the engineers cab We're crowded as
the drivers seat of an automobile
frequently is and If the engineers
attention were distracted by CONVEX
sation as a motorists almost in
variably' is, train wrecks would be
multiplied. i"
An Illinois scientist comes forward
with the theory that slow eye move
ments are the cause Of many auto
mobile accidents and that a fraction
of second may. mean life or death
to-the motorist. Alertness of mind
and body is one of the chief require
nents of careful driver, and is
necessary in no less degree to the
pedestrian.
tThe present registration shows
that there are in the United States
100000 vehicles and the manu-
lecturers estimate that the increase
this year will be 100000 additional,
says the Scientific American. The
report made to the session of the
National Highway Traffic Associa-
ton states that the risk to safety lies
in the fact that 80 per cent. of
these vehicles are congested upon 10
per cent. of our roads. Fourteen
recommendations are made by the
committee, all designed to reduce the
number of auto accidents.
The more important recommends
tions come under four heads, the
Scientific American points out: First,
to secure good designs for new
roads; second, to promote adequate
Improvement of, old roads; third, to
insist upon reconstruction of exist
ing roads at places which have prov
ed especially dangerous, such, for
instance, as grade crossings and ap-
proacheS to bridges; and lastly, to
improve the location of the center
line on dangerous curves and eleva-
tons. Particularly urgent is the call
for standard practice throughout the
country in respect to the location Of
danger signals, the elevation and
banking of curves, and the widening
of~the, roadway with regulation of
tlaffic on curves. On the compile
tbn of transcontinental routes there
will be an increase of interstate
tsaffic, and when a driver passes into
al new section of the country, where
the regulations. signal posts, etc.,
differ from those in his own State,
he is liable, without intending it, to
break loyal State rules. thereby be-
coming a. danger both to himself and
others. Hence, the need for stand
afdized rules, and so far as possible,
standardizeds constructions from one
end of the country to the other