Evening star., 1924-05-25

INVESTIGATE CAUSE
OF AUTO ACCIDENTS
American Automobile Association
Takes Active Steps to Safe
guard Communities.
WRITES VARIOUS CLUBS
Efforts Also Made to Curb All
Kinds of Recklessness.
US CLUBS
WRITES VARIOUS

Investiga ton of automobile acci-
dent and fatality causes took an i'm
portant turn this week as the result
Of a request made to all car owners
throughout the country by the Ameri-
can Automobile Association following
conferences on the subject of safer
motoring with representatives of the
numerous national organizations now
studying the situation.
II Is the opinion of American Auto
mobile Association officials that pres
ent concentration of thought upon
the subject of accident prevention by
representatives of such national bod
accident list but that real progress
can be had only through the willing
ness Of each individual car owner and
driver to consider the subject as one
Of personal interest
Affiliated Clubs Notified.
Fearing that the car owner may
take a notion to let George do II,
President Thomas P. Henry OF the
American Automobile Association has
notified all affiliated auto clubs
throughout the country to urge upon
their members the need for close at
tention to the accident prevention study
now being made at conferences of ma
tional bodies.
Nothing would be more disa astrous
TO this comprehensive plan of safe
guarding motoring America. II Is de-
cfared, than to have car owners them
selves imagine that the national or
ganiZations can solve the problem
without the assistance of the auto
mobile driver.
II is pointed out in this statement
to the American Automobile AsSocia-
tion clubs that while the national or
sanizations are i'll a position TO bring
the motorists safety problems to the
attention of those who will be able TO
aid directly in the work Of eiminat-
ing accident causes the motorlst :
part in the matter is still of primary
Importance.
THE American Automobile Associa-
tion has already pointed out the fact
that lack of uniformity is an import
ant accident cause and has ASKED
motor tourists this summer TO famLl-
iarize themelves with conditions un-
der which other folk operate their
cars" says Mr.. Henry. This is mere
ly the starting point. 1t is being dis
covered from analysis of accident
causes by expert that bad street light
ing is very largely responsible for
many city accidents at night. In
such cases it might be duty OF the
motorit to support mayorality cam
paigns in favor OF q more progress
sive administration
Question of Recklessnes-.
"'The matter Of recklessness is not
entirely up to those who are guilty OF
lawlessness. Majority Of accidents
would, of course, be done away with
if law-defying motorists would turn
over A. new leaf. but they are not
likely to do this and that is why the
rank and file of motorists must take
a hand In the situation and not i'm
s-ine that the national organizations
can do the job of cleaning up the
reckless minority single handed.
Zach individual motorist has an
opportunity to support bills In favor
Of more effective regulation of unde-
sira Bile drivers. He should lend
tangible support to every local or "a =
tjonaJ interest that is working in his
behalf. This means cooperation with
his local automobile club. other civic
organizations and the motor vehicle
authorities of his state.
The American Automobile AssocIa-
ton is firmly OF the belief that great
good will be accomplished through
the present and proposed intensive
study of the entire situation, but 1t
believes that reporting the license
number of an undesirable driver is
moro to the point in accident pre-
vention than trying to draw a lesson
from another preventable accident
that has come up for national dis
CuSSiOn,'