Evening star., 1928-06-10
AMERICAN TRAFFIC LOSSES
SET AT TWO BILLIONS A YEAR
Adoption of Model Municipal Ordinance
Being Urged by Committee of
Experts.

] many ways III the USE Ot tIliS IUIU1 Di
! transportation. A few years ago the
! impression was that the activities of
motor clubs were largely selfish--that
| the clubs consisted of motorists banded
| together To advance their own interests
| regardless of the rights of others.
| To-day. however, this feeling has
| largely. If not entirely, disappeared,
! The clubs and associations are con-
stantly urging higher standards of
! ethics among motorists. They are
widely engaged in educational work
among their own members and the gen.
eral public. promoting the Golden Rule
on the highways and contributing TO
the safety and improvement of traffic.
This development Of self-regulation,
which is an outstanding feature of the
association movement in many fields
in business, in the professions and in
the trades as well as in the motoring
world--offers one of the most hopeful
methods of approach to the various
problems of our increasingly complex
civilization.
Agree on Interests.
In any general campaign for deal
ing with such problems as those OF
motor traffic II is a first essential that
all concerned should agree upon the
main outlines of comprehensive pro-
gram and that each should participate
in its execution according to his inter
ests and abilities. This is the guiding
principle of the National Conference
On Street and Highway Safety. 1t was
not the purpose to set up a new and
imposing superorganization, but to
provide the means for cryStallizing
opinion on common program and
effectively co-ordinating the efforts OF
existing organizations which are doing
such splendid work in their several
fields.
While the motor clubs and assocla-
tions have generally been leaders IN Sc
curing needed legislation, in few
States, where the code was before the
Legislatures in 1927. directly oppo-
site influence of the motoring organiSa-
tions was apparent. there was failure
to develop teamwork with other legiti-
mately interested groups, and EFFORTS
for important legislation proved abof-
tive. I do not undertake TO flx respon-
sihility for such failures. ] know.
however. that in some cases obstacles
arose. not ON the merits OF the code,
but from lack of interorganlzaJion
teamplay. 1t Is not my purpose 10 crlt-
cize. but to point out the need Tor such
teamwork, not only within the motor
clubs and associations, but also as De-
tween them and other groups con-
cerned.
"The question is sometimes asked as
tn what evidence there is that any
thing is accomplished through sucn
legislation and such types o. autonno.
bile administration as are advocated
nv the national conference. In sup
port of the views TO this effect OF those
closely In touch with the situation IN
the various States. there are now avail
able reliable statistics bearing directly
on the question.
"In the first place, the accident rec
ordg of the insurance companies reveal
that in the cities Of the States with
modern automobile departments, drivers
licensing systems and other motor laws
in harmony with the uniform coue, the
accident hazard under comparable con-
ditionS is at least Is per cent less tnah
in cities of other States.
Again, from the records OF tne
Census Bureau since 1920 even more
striking tendencies are revealed. To
show these let us consider three groups
Of States. One is the New England
and North Atlantic group, which have
in general good laws and good admin
istrations. The second group embraces
the Middle Western States and the
third group includes the Southern
states. for which statistics are available
for the period in question,
Ratio Of Accidents.
For these three groups the per-
centages of increases In automobile ia
taIities between 1920 and 1926 and, for
comparison, the percentages Of increase
IN automobile registrations, are as fol-
lows:
North Atlantic States MAINE TO
MARYLAND. tTacluEive1 e1-IncreaS In ia
taiitieg, O. per cent. increase In auto
mobile registrations, i5S per cent.
Middle Western states lOhio, In
diana. Illinois. Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota. Missouri, Kansas and Me-
braska) Increase in fatalities. 100 per
cent: increase In automobile registra-
tions, i26 per cent
Southern States Virginia, North
| and South Carolina. Kentucky, Ten
aegsee, Mississippi and Louisiana In
crease in fatalities 230 per cent; in
crease IN automobile registrations, 1874
| per cent.
"The States in the second and third
| groups had until the last year or two,
| and most Of them still have, very tn
| adequate motor vehicle laws and In
| complete administrative organizations.
/ AS the experience OF the States
which Temodeled their motor laws In
/ 1927 becomes available for a period Of