The Washington times., 1926-07-14

are often the most careless about
Tire as evidences to explode the
theory that business has any direct
bearing on safety In driving, but
many Interesting facts In support OF
the theory have also been advanced.
It has been noticed by executives
Of large organizations which send
their men out on the road equipped
with cars that there Is q definite
tendency to take collisions lightly
because the car belongs TO the
In majority Of such collisions the
damages does not extend beyond
crI1mpled tenders, bent bumpers or
broken headlights, but safety advo-
eates are alarmed at the attitude
taken by the drivers.
It IS pointed out that where the
Ear is privately-owned greater at
kention Is paid to traffic. and thus
90 safety.
For this reason some companies
nay their, Representatives salaries
kufficient TO enable them TO buy
their own cars and maintain them.
Many traffic officers are pf the
6pinion that travelling man are
among the most annoying traffic
law violators for the reason that
too much attention Is paid TO
business and not enough to the
dob In hand.
The opinion Is also that the de
gree OF such violations depends
largely upon the nature Of the bl1si-
hess the sa1esman-driver IL engaged
n. Representatives who normally
register at the cityss leading hotel
before making their business calls
Are said to be very nearly as eau
tf0us as the average motor tourist
though they are prone to be bit
dun and careless through fatigue
bccasioned by driving long distances
kYer tiresome roads.
Statesmen who plan only to stop
IN d town or city for the purpose
of visiting customers are said to
rive entirely too little attention
to the business Of driving.
This Is particularly true OF
Salesnen-drivers who are covering
new territory, being unfamiliar
with the cities IN which they are
looking for business. In reading
firm names, and In wandering
about IN search OF prospects,, they
are said to become frequently in-
wOlyed In most unnecessary col.
nsions.
Persons in exacting lines Of
work. such as banking, are expect.
"a to show q high record Of safety
Ii their driving. but such facts
win doubtless have to be proved
by statistics before the average
notorist win be convinced.
The psychologist reasons that
because banks balance before clos.
Ing the employees have nothing
N a business way to preoccupy
their attention when they drive
home In their cars.
The men in this business who
carry the weight Of the responsible.
hy- the executives-as IN other
lines of business often employ
chauffeurs, their business there
fore not influencing their driving.
Responsibility in business, APP
parentIy, does not encourage re.
sponsibility In driving where the
business man handles his own car.
His safety is believed to be In
inverse proportion to his coneen-
tration upon business matters.
This is said to be demonstrated
by the large number Of accidents
IN which intelligent persons arc
involved becadse they were not
thinking what they were doing"
x
ing case. While they invariably
drive fast on emergency calls they
represent the sort Of safety that Is
characteristic Of the experienced
fast driver in that their attention
Is centered upon the job In hand,
their mind having less opportunity
to wander than Is the case with the
very slow driver.
Like the fast driver, however. the
physician-motorist Is likely to get
into serious trouble II he gets into
trouble at all.
The physician is unique. however.
h that he invariably knows his
ground. so that he Is able to drive
fast much wisely than the average
bo-called fast driver.
He knows where the danger
points are and can apportion his
speed accordingly. It Is only when
his mind wanders off to thoughts
Of his patient that he Is likely tC
forget what he is doing. but such
trouble as he gets into under suct
circumstances is likely to be thu
sort that calls for the ambulance.
A physician. In rushing to the
hospital. recently ran headlong int
d street car that was approaching
His excuse was that he though
u was kOlAE III IuS OppOsttS u1reC
ton, but those who support tht
theory that ones business Is greatl,
responsible for ones characteristic
and record In driving contend tina
he was merely the victim Of nj
profession.
According to the Department o
Commerce there has been too ntfl'
consideration for the ability of man,
persons who are buying cars u
emall initial payments TO drive safe
ly. and since large percentage o
the time-payment purchases repre-
sents buying on the part Of tn
aIxiIled laborer there is agitation 10
investigation Of the part such cit
xens play IN safe driving.
Many contend that because car
come easy to those who earn hig
wages there should be a tendenc
to be careless in the operation o
such cars, but some OF the fact
fhat are new available do not SUI
mort this conclusion.
II Is shown, for instance, tha
while the purchase OF cars is greai
Iy sirnplified the average laborel
T1otorfgt does not find maintenanc
aay too easy, particularly since b