The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-01-08
G.. B. Anel Warns of
Road>Hog Menace
BY c. B. AUEL
President National Safety Council

A MERICA has many things OF which to be
~ proud and some things of which to be
ashamed. We may point with pride to
our industrial progress our higher standards of
living and working, to our research and inven-
tons and to our motor vehicle registration, but
the fact that thousands of men, women and chill
dren were accidentally killed in 1929. to say moth
ing of the thousands and thousands Of others ser
ousy injured and manned. takes away all the
thrill in our national accomplishments. 3@as
1t should be a matter of national concern that
our accident deathrate for each million Of popu
ation is twice that of England and Wales The
mere fact that the automobile, for instance. has
added greatly to the prestige and the convenience
o. our nation should never obscure the frightful
results of its careless misuse
The automobile continues to constitute the
major hazard of our streets and highways today
Since 1909, when the automobile accident death
toll passed, the 1000 mark for the first time, its
list Of fatalities has yearly increased to the high
point OF $4,000 in 1923. The serious injuries
the pain. loss and suffering growing out of ace
dents involving the motor vehiclescan only be
estimated but the total in terms of humanity
would be astounding.
To teach the average citizen that an automobile
has no other eyes or controlling brain than those
provided by him when he is in the drivers seat
would seem a simple task. To impress upon his
mind that the automobile. even in the hands of
a safe driver cannot stop, go around or jump
over him with equal facility when he is on foot
would also appear ridiculously easy. But analyze
a months traffic accidents in your city and you
will find that scarcely one could not but have
441A baad
Of either the driver or the pedestrian.
TRY AND GET 1T!
From Iowa we get the helpful slogan "How'dy.
nalf the road is yours But the echo comes
back to us from almost every highway and city
street: Half the road is yours;atry and get itp
one could dwell at length on the vagaries of the
human mind which makes the possessor believe
that he is doing the right thing and that anyone
who crosses his path at the moment he steps
on the gas is sadly out of step in the onward
march Of common sense. But after all we are
more interested in immediate remedies than psy.
chopathic causes. -
The solution OF the traffic accident problem is
rs per cent in the brains Of 112,O000OO people
and rs per cent in the physical setting of the acct
dent The automobile itself is the helpless in
strument Of disaster. Careless walking and driv
ing too often covered UP in a smoke screen
Of denuncation directed at traffic conditions
Granted that we have long way to go in revising
our streets and highways, in the meantime little
less speed and more consideration for human life
will help Immensely.
To bring about the Utopian days of public
safety when the automobile. the street car, the
taxicab, the bus and the pedestrian will be in
harmonious accord the rights of the other
requires the patience forbearance and cooperation
Of every individual and every organization
The situation is sufficiently serious to command
the attention, of every citizen. Mrs. Smith has
every right to do her daily shopping free from
the peril of a carelessy driven automobile or
disorganized traffic control. Her little daughter
is entitled to every considerations Of safety on
her way to or from school. Mr.. Smith himself,
the bread-wnner of the family. deserves every
opportunity to go to work without fear of ending
up in the receiving ward of hospital the limo
cent victim OF needless traffic accident In
short. we are all involved in this street safety
proposition and we cannot afford to ignore it as
a problem for the constituted authorities alone
MUST SOLVE PROBLEM
Inc Outline OF the CONTINUOUS campaign OF
public and street accident prevention to which
the volunteer workers of the NATIONAL Safety
Council from coast to coast have dedicated their
efforts during the next IL months is far-reaching
There are two ways of meeting the traffic acct
dent situation. 1t can be allowed to continue until
by process Of trial by error through genera
tions, accidents from these causes eventually de.
crease, or. a study of the causes may be made and
a systematic plan of safeguarding and education
carried out to effect a moro speedy reduction Of
accidents The American way is to dig into the
problem, find out the trouble and fix it as soon
possible.
After years Of experimentation with whole cities
laboratories and with thousands Of volunteer