Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11

How automobile accidents i'm n
! great many instances take place under
apparently safe conditions is explained
by Robbins b. Stocked, Connecticut
motor vehicle commissioner, in a re
cent bulletin on accident prevention
in which he points out that the men
tai situation of the individual driver
rather than the condition of his i'm
mediate surroundings. often brings
about an untoward incident.
Commissioner Stoeckel gives an eX-
ample of his viewpoint specifically in
speaking of the new four-track high
way recently opened in Connecticut,
known as the Milford Turnpike.
Here" he says, lis an outstanding
safety Improvement which is making
a had safety record. 1t is perhaps
easy to understand that a four track
road, which is a departure from ordi-
nary building as heretofore expert.
enced, may for a time constitute a
new traffic hazard This is the prin-
cipal reason for the numerous and
serious accidents on this stretch Of
road during the last few months.
Highway Looks Safe.
actual analysis of all these acci.
dents shows that this particular high
tain drivers to do things which they
would not do on another road appar-
emily less safe.
1T is an axiom that serious acct.
dents do not often happen in obvi.
ouSly dangerous places. but are al
most invariably found in places which
look safe. The driving on the Milford
Turnpike has an incorrect tendency
to he toward the middle of the road:
that is, it has been and is being used
more as Il two-track than as a four
track road. 1t can be predicted that
within short time, when experience
with four-track roads has been ac-
quired, there will be only the ordinary
percentage of accidents. but until that
experience is acquired we may expect
to hear of other accidents in numbers
larger in proportion than on similar
highways of less width.
THE pedestrian on the four-track
road is invariably inclined to walk too
near the. center A chief reason for
trouble is that every one gets the inn
preston of space and safety. When
there is a consciousness in a persons
mind that he may be unsafe, he will
take care and will not be caught. but
if he feels that by reason of ample
room he does not need TO be on his
guard, then he may be caught by some
unwary driver whose attention is dis
tracted and who also has the idea that
he has all the room in the world
Reasonable Regulations.
There have been several accidents
there which under the circumstances
could hardly be expected not to hap
pen. Pedestrians, and particularly
drunken pedestrians. on that highway
at night are bound to be in more dan.
ger than on almost any other, because
the speed is so much greater there
1t has been suggested and apparently
agreed to by the police that those in
charge of the highway set maximum
speed which they will consider rea.
sonable and make everybody keep in
side of it."
Commissioner Stoeckel has won the
good will of motorists in his and other
States by his repeated insistence on
reasonable regulations. Once made,
when the officials feel sure they are
reasonable, he believes they should
be firmly adhered to. Enforcement,
he states, has been too much a matter
of allowances. and he adds forcefully:
Let us stop making unreasonable
regulations, making allowances, and