Evening star., 1927-09-04
MOTORING
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.


tISli VOICES III protest aRdlllSl
the alleged inactivity of the
motor car manufactured in the mat
ter OF promoting safety on the high
way. He is accused, actually or IN
terentially, of being the largest con-
tributor to the unfortunate situation
which exists on the streets OF the
cities and the roads of the rural sec
tions. His traduccrs, having placed
the blame. then go on to declare that
the motor car maker sits back while
other agencies Swrestle with the
mighty problem of reducing traffic
mishaps.
This criticism is held by close stu
dents of traffic TO be unjust and un-
merited. For, survey of the facts
gives the car manufacturer not only
clean bill OF health, but reveals him
TO be one OF the largest, if not &C
tually the largest. contributor to the
cause of street and highway safety
they declare
The manufacturer cannot widen
streets to make room for the cars
he produces. He cannot make all
drivers rational at all times He
cannot prevent pedestrians from tax
ing desperate chances. He cannot
make them obey the traffic officer
signals. These spheres of safety en-
deavor and education are vital, tre-
mendously vital They do not belong
to the manufacturer. however. AT
least, not directly. He cannot be a
leader here. He can be only a fol-
lower. and he is, intelligently and
actively.
There is a role in the safety move
ment that can be played by the man
ufacturer alone, however, and he is
playing it with splendid effect. That
role is making his cars more safe.
Has he been successful: In the case
of any one who has driven a car
made within the last three years, the
answer is an immediate and inevita-
bic affirmative. But one does not
have to accept the motorists reply.
There are innumerable figures, ac-
curate figures, too, to substantiate
this estimate of the situation.
In spite of the large number of
traffic mishaps resulting in fatalities
or personal injuries, the number of
accidents per car has been markedly
reduced. Why: Because the indi-
vidual car lis much nearer accident
proof than ever before. 1t may be
true, as leaders in safety thought
point out. that the average driver is
more facile in handling his automo-
bile than before. But a large meas
ure of this increased facility must be
credited to the fact that the car is
easier to handle in every important
respect.
lie very latest model automobile
has been before the public now for
sufficiently long time to be fairly
well known. How. then. is it known?
1t generally is recognized as the
most beautiful car ever built" 1t
is called, rightly. the most efficient,
economical and fastest car in the his
tory of the automotive industry" 1t
is scarcely to be questioned that the
car of the moment is the most COM
Portable contribution ever made tc,
individual transportation.
And, just as important. though less
a subject of conversation, the car
being manufactured at this moment
Is the safest car ever created by the
automotive engineer.
When the safety of the new car
is discussed, thought turns first to
fourwheel brakes. Because they
have ceased to be a novelty, however,
the cars, brakes are dismissed with
celerity that is unfortunate-unfor-
tunate because the four wheel brakes
of today are vastly different from the
type produced in 1924, when they
made their first real fash before
motordom.
In this connection, it is we'll to
realize that the present four wheel
brakes represent as much of an ad
vance over those of 1924 as the latter
did over the two-wheel species which
they supplanted. Brakes constitute
one of the most active problems of
the engineering laboratories in the
automotive industry. This applies to
the mechanical variety. the hydraulic,
electrical, self-energizing and all
other kinds. New thoughts that
make all brakes more efficient are
being developed Does the. manufac-
turer wait until he brings out a new
model before he applies those supe
rior braking principles? He does not
They are applied to cars in produc-
tion as soon as changes in the plant
equipment can be made. Often the
manufacturer does not herald them
at all. The only recognition they get
is from the purchaser of the Car who
finds stopping capacity far superior
to anything he experienced before or
even expected to experience in his
new automobile.
The lowered center of gravity of
the cars now offered in almost every
company,s line, represents a truly
great contribution to safety But
many questions whether the added
beauty given to the cars as a result
OF dropping the center of gravity has
not made more of an impression than
the safety feature of this change
When a low, lithelooking car
passes one on the street what COM
mcnt does it evoke?
Isn't it a beauty" I'll wager it
will run like streak of lightning"
But few. indeed. ever heard this
comment made on such car:
Isn't it safe looking:
The powerful, faithful engines with
which modern cars are driven are
vital factors in safety. Whether the
demand upon them is for power to
pull dangerous hill. fexibility and
acceleration sufficient 10 speed out
OF the path of a suddenly confronted
danger, or compression sufficient to
hold back on a treacherous descent