Evening star., 1927-10-30
CHILDREN lifts"
CALLED MENACE
A. A. A. ReneWs Drive on Free
Rides and Hazards of
Plan Listed.

While the appeal of child, with
hand appraised in plea for lift" may
be hard one for the motorist to re-
sist, he should be firm in his refusal
to accede to the request.
This is asserted in a statement is
sued yesterday by national headquar-
ters of the American Automobile AS
sociation, which, while directed spe-
officially toward the 939 clubs that COM
prise the membership of the organi-
zation, bespeaks the cooperation of
all motorists, parents, teachers and
safety agencies toward a continuation
of the campaign launched last year
by the A. A. A. to stamp out the prac-
tice of children asking for lifts, one
of the greatest menaces to child safety
that exists today"
This cooperation was sought and
given in all parts of the country last
year, A. A. A. heads declare. When
attention was called to the grave
hazards involved in this thoughtless
practice of school children, motorists,
parents and teachers generally rallied
behind their motor clubs, and the re-
suit Of this unity was a marked sue
cess Of the campaign, the statement
says. The Summer. however, saw a
let-down in this sphere of activity, and
the reopening of schools has created
a need for renewed effort, it Is pointed
out.
Clubs Asked to Lead.
"a. A. A. clubs. concerned with
serving the interests of both the
motorists and the general public,
should take the lead in the movement
to break up this practice" says the
statement. 1.-The club will find that
once it points out the enormous
dangers incident to this child action
and the ways in which motorists,
parents and teachers can be helpful
in bringing it to an end, these groups
will be quick to meet their respective
responsibilities.
1.-THE part of the motorist is to drive
carefully when passing through school
zones and to refuse rides to those
children who ask. This is difficult to
do, but the consistent refusal on the
part of all motorists soon will dis
courage the lift-seeker, and this is the
greatest kindness the motor car owner
could do any child. Drivers should re-
member that they are responsible in
case of accidents involving their youth
full passengers.
''They do not need to be reminded
Of the dangers Of perpetuating this
DTdctlCe ny catering 10 II. oIlC6 given
a lift, the child repeats his request
daily. At first, he may have had the
caution to stand on the curb and wave
his appeal to the passing motorist.
Gradually, however. he becomes more
and more daring. He will crowd out
into the stream of vehicles, trans
forming traffic into a veritable mael-
strom. Thus, he becomes a menace
to others as well as to himself.
Parents Can Help.
parents and teachers should do all
in their power to discourage this habit
which is so easily developed. Their
duties are to point out the manifold
hazards involved and place lift-seeking
in the category Of those things that
are definitely forbidden.
Schools that give instruction in
safety, and their number is growing
enormously, should make this lesson
most prominent in their general
courses, the A. A. A. believes. Its i'm
portance is paramount, and the re-
opening of school provides the proper
time to begin instruction so that
when Winter, with it's icy, slippery
streets arrives, this hazard will def
nitely have been removed or materi-
ally reduced"