Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

r IGHWAY safety, economy ant
IL convenience are of vital IN
terest and concern not only
A 4 to the motorist but to every
individual in the country. This
is obvious in the face of the Nation :
growing economic dependence upon
highway transport, together with the
fact that more than 22.000,000 motor
vehicles are operating on about 100000
miles of improved roads, according to
$. S. Steinberg of the University OF
Maryland and assistant director of the
highway research board of the Ma
tional Research Council.
During the year just closed more
than $3.50, 100000 was expended in
highway construction and mainte-
nance" Mr.. Steinberg says, adding;
Almost equal sums have been ex-
pended annually during each of the
five preceding years, but thus far only
about 10 per cent of our 5000, 600
miles of rural roads have been sur
faced. To insure a wise expenditure
of our ltG,.,Say funds and to solve
some of the complex prOble-lS of
highway transportation, many agen-
cies throughout the country have been
led to undertake scientific inVestiga-
ton into the fundamentals of high
way finance, construction, mainte-
nance and operation. These studies
are being conducted by Federal bu
reaus. by state highway departments,
by universities and colleges and by
industrial organizations interested in
highway development. The investiga-
tions are Of a practical nature, and
are being carried on both in the labo-
ratory and the field.
Board Co-ordinates Studies.
ITO stimulate highway research, to
coordinate the studies under way and
to serve as a clearing house for the
results is the purpose of the highway
research board of the National Re
search Council, which held its sixth
annual meeting here in December.
The sessions We're attended by more
than 800 highway engineers, officials
and research workers, representing %
States, 25 universities and colleges and
two foreign countries. The researches
presented at this meeting are evil
dence of the fact that science is being
brought to bear upon the problems of
the motorist as we'll as the highway
engineer.
"One of the most important matters
discussed was that of highway safety.
The highway research board recently
decided to appoint a committee to
study the causes and possible means
of prevention of the large number of
accidents on our highways. The
board felt that in view of its contacts
with the State highway departments
1t would be enabled to supplement in
an effective way the efforts of other
investigators.
Scientific Research Need.
"In the discussion of the highway
safety problem it was pointed out that
scientific research is needed on a num-
Der of the factors that cause accidents.
Among these are Skidding on wet
roads, the relation of vehicle opera
ton to road curvature and visibility
and banking on curves. Other prob
lens that need study are blind spots
in vehicles, brake operation and head
lighting as well as the psychological
and physical demands upon the driver
these problems, especially those af
fecting motor vehicle performance: are
now being studied by the United
States Bureau of Standards and other
agencies.
1T is felt that the highway research
board, which is most directly con-
eerned with the broad problem Of high
way transportation from the research
side, through thns committee on high
way accidents. could initiate and
correlate a research program the re-
suits of which, when applied to high
way construction and operation, would