Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-12-09
SIMPLE DRIVING RULE.
If Observed by All Auto Drivers,
Roads Would be Safer.

III observed Dy All AUTO DTlVcTS,
Roads Would be Safer.
Motor Travel)
No vehicle shall be operated at
| speed such that it cannot be stopped
within the assured clear course
ahead.
This one simple driving rule will,
if conscientiously followed, make it
impossible for an accident to occur
| for which the driver is to blame, said
Dr.. H. G. Dickinson, physicist of the
Bureau of Standards, who origi-
mated the rule and made the first
public announcement of it at the
summer meeting of the Society of
Automotive Engineers.
AS explained by Dr.. Dickinson,
the rule means merely that no one
should drive motor vehicle at rate
of speed at any time that would not
allow of stopping within distance
where the course could be seen
clearly and where no person, vehicle
or train could be at the same point
as the first vehicle at the same time.
For example, when approaching a
blind street intersection or road
| turn or crossing, speed would be
regulated so that if another vehicle
were approaching on the cross thor
| oughfare or around the turn, even on
the wrong side, the vehicles could be
stopped before the two could collide.
| Similarly, when approaching rail
| road crossing, the speed would be re-
| duced to such a rate that if an I'M
seen train were coming, the car could
| ha OF hnfnro cnttinO the
track
At intersecting highways obstruct-
ed by buildings, shrubbery Or en-
bankments, the speed should be re
duced so that the car can surely be
stopped before reaching the middle
| of the cross street until the angle OF
vision past the obstruction is at
least IS degrees, and DR.. Dickinson
recommended that cities mark THIS
angle on all street pavements at
blind intersections and forbid the
parking of vehicles between such
lines and the crossings.
The rule applies equally well to
topping a rise in the road and to
passing other vehicles going in the
same direction. The driver should
not approach the top of hill at
speed that will not permit him to
stop within half the distance at
which he can first see a vehicle ap-
preaching from the other side, nor
turn out to pass to the left of car
unless he has time to get back on the
| right side of the road before meeting
car coming from the opposite di-
rection. In the latter case the
| Of bo tho riODt Wbjp n
he is passing, should be taken into
consideration.
'The clear course ahead depends
upon road and traffic conditions,
some of which are continually chang
ing, and the driver is responsible for
being able invariably to stop within
the clear course ahead" said DR..
Dickinson. stopping distance with
relation to the clear course ahead is
the most important factor of safety.
1t must be assumed that a vehicle or
person may emerge at any instant
from behind an obstruction to the
vision or that an obstacle may lie just
around bend.
| MANY of the present regulations
are based uncOnsciously on the pro-
posed new rule, which, if strictly en-
forced, would take the place of nearly
all of them This rule, if incor-
porated in an ordinance, would focus
attention of all drivers on the most
important condition for safety, would
educate as we'll as regulate, and
would compel every driver to keep
his attention on what is ahead rather
than on what is behind
eff every driver knew that he might
be called upon by an officer to come
! to a stop at any curve, crossing or
obstruction where he could not see at
least 100 yards in all directions, fast
driving at these danger points would
cease"