Evening star., 1925-02-22
SAFETY RULE GIVEN
MOTOR SALESMEN
Washington Auto Trade Body
Orders Cooperation With
D. C. Officials.

Practical cooperation with District
officials in the work of safeguarding
the public through more intelligent
automobile driving is assured as
result of the issuance of an important
order to motor car statesmen by some
of the leading members of the Wash
ington Automotive Trade Association.
The dealer members of the Wash
ington AutomotiVe Trade Association
taking this step have instructed
statesmen and demonstrators to DEM
onstrate safety as well the car
and to make every possible effort to
discourage carelessness upon the part
of prospects.
While the association has no super
vision over the sales policies of its
members it is said to favor the sell
ing safety plan" and to have already
undertaken the work of exchanging
the experiences of individual mem
bers in this line and of making the
facts and details available to all the
local automobile dealers.
Benefits Arc Cited.
In the opinion of Paul B. Lum,
president of the organization, the
plan is certain to improve local con-
ditions by teaching the motorists the
need for a higher type of personal
responsibility because it strikes at
the very root of the subject
The public regards the automobile
salesman or demonstration driver as
an expert" he says. The automo-
bile man must, therefore, not miss the
opportunity of reminding the mo-
torist that the expert is also the
worker for safety.
1T has been brought to the atten-
tfon of a number of local automotive
merchants that the average person
who takes a demonstration in an au-
tomobile fails to appreciate that any
stunt the salesman tries can be
done safely only because that sales
man is highly experienced in han
ding the particular car. The buyer
forgets that he cannot do the same
thing with the same degree of safety
unless he is as experienced as the
man who sold him the car
Effects of Discipline.
THE automobile men in Washing
ton have done much to encourage re-
spect for traffic regulations by not
seeking any special favors from the
police and by driving in a courteous
manner at all times. There was
time when the automobile salesman
felt privileged to salute the traffic
officer and then disregard his direc-
tions, or when he gave the prospect
the impression that real success in
driving followed ones ability to run
the road, but those days have passed.
Now the automobile salesman is
being encouraged to give the prospect
the benefit of his experience. to teach
the less skilled motorist and to show
that he is selling motoring as well
as an automobile.
when 1t is necessary to reveal
certain remarkable qualities of the
car several dealers have already in
structed their sales force to select
the most logical places for such tests,
and not to make them at points where
there might be any possibility of
unforeseen conflict with regular traffic.
This process not only makes for a
more intelligent demonstration but
also shows the motorist very plainly
that the full resources of the car
are not to be tampered with in ordi-
nary driving, but merely in event
of emergency. We believe this will
do more to encourage saner use of
powerful engines and brakes than
any other method now in use.
Logical Opportunity.
Every year very large percent
age of motorists take demonstrations
In new models, whether they buy or
not. Unconsciously they are inspect
ing the latest models in driving as
well. Here, then, is the logical op-
portunity for the Washington Auto
motive Trade Association to do it's bit
in the important work of making the
automobile driver take his safety
problem more seriously"