San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-04
MAKERS PUT
ONUS UPON
DRIVERS
ALONE
Traffic Problem, However
to Be Solved Only by
All Elements.
By F. c. CHANDLER

Inc great problem OF bringing
safety to our streets and highways IL
everybody's problem, because every
body has helped to create it.
In a quarter Of a century, the use
Of motor vehicles in this country has
leaped from 1900 to 20,000,0O0. All
Of US have helped to put these cars
on the highways.
We cannot do without individual
transportation. 1t is therefore up to
| us all to exert every EFFORT to reduce
TO a minimum the menace of this
transportation. Such an accomplish
ment can come only from unified sc-
ton. The results of the second Ma
tional Conference on Street and High
way Safety held in Washington I'M
der Secretary Hoover are most graft
flying. / question whether ever before
so many elements have combined in
the public interest. During the con-
tinuance of the conference, such
groups as the appended, worked in en-
tire harmony: Federal, state, munich
pal and county law makers and adj
illustrators, especially those having
to do with traffic problems. Mem
bers Of great national business organ
izations. Representatives of the rail-
way companies, electric trolley COM
panies and automobile manufacturers.
REPRESENTATIVE GROUP.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton, representing the users of the
cars, and the National Safety Council.
organized primarily for the protection
of the public. Authorities on educa-
ton from principal colleges all over
the United States. Insurance groups,
women's organizations and labor or
carnations. Engineers and students
Of traffic problems.
1t Is hard to imagine more thor
oughly representative group. Such
gathering makes possible a procedure
that will have its influence in the
great cities, as well as in the rural
hamlets.
1t is naturally from this viewpoint
that the problem must be approached,
for the automobile is highly migra-
tory in its nature and encompasses
long distances in amazingly brief time.
The city motorist of today is the rural
tourist of tomorrow.
The campaign for education will be
steadily carried on, particularly among
the children. There will be no inter
ruption in the effort to collect, keep
up to date, and give publicity to sta
tistics bearing on the subject Of ac-
cidents and their prevention. The
great cities of the United States will
attempt to deal with their own special
problems.
AT RAIL CROSSINGS.
There will be a continued effort 70
better conditions at railroad crossings.
Needless to say, automobile manufac-
turers have committed themselves 70
doing everything possible in the con-
struction of their machines 20 safe
guard their users, other motorists and
pedestrians. believe that already
there has been great accomplishment
\ in this direction. The principal fea-
lures which concern safety are the
brakes, the steering, the driver vision
and the lighting. In all these features,
notable progress has been made, until
it seems to me that cars are poten-
tally safe, assuming they are properly
driven. The automobile industry has
always felt very strongly on the mis-
use of cars. It does not want the
trade Of the reckless, the speed mad
and the drunken, who put life and
| limb in jeopardy. 1t fayors the most
vigorous punishment for such offend
| ers.
| Most Of us are motorists, all Of u
are pedestrians some of the time. One
of the results Of the conference will
be TO increase the effort to teach each
class that every other class has its
rights. We can no longer attempt 70
segregate the blame to any one group.
| Traffic safety is alike the respon-
Sibility of the motorist. the pedestrian.
/ the railway operator, the electric troll
| ley motorman, the manufacturer Of
/ the car. the dealer who sells II. ami
those who make aud administer the
laws. The most cheering thing about
| the Hoover conference is the fact that
all are willing to accept their respon-
sibility. 1t is my belief that this
great combination Of unselfish effor'
is bound to develop unreasonable re.
suits in the near future.
GREAT PROBLEM.
Every consideration Of street End
highway safety must take into ac-
count conditions in all IS states Of the
/ United States and in all communities,
great and small.
1t is this fact that makes the prob
lem TO put down any one set Of rules
that will apply equally in all com
munities, but there was entire agree.
ment in the conference that the great
err the approach 20 uniformity. the
greater the possibility Of nation wide
benefit Secretary Hoover is essentials
/ " n practical man. throughout BIZ
entire public career. be has sought
the application Of methods that would
! quickly influence practical results