Evening star., 1928-04-01
In the Motor World
NJ OTORISTS during the past
M week have been cautioned
INI to observe the Golden
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

10 OpS6ENe Tie 1OlUeL
- Rule. It is to be hoped
that the practice Of driv
ing as you would want others t
drive has done a lot Of good, arc
that continuance of this method
of careful driving will be ever.
lasting among the automobile
operators of the National Capital
The campaign sponsored by The
Star is not meant only for one
week. It is to inculcate the Spiri'
of cooperation among motorists
that will make Washington the
city of safety for all time. AS the
columns Of the paper cease to
PROFOUND the principles of the
campaign. remembrance of the
gold plated car and the principles
that it typified should remain in
delibly stamped in the minds OF
all.
The saving of one life, the pre-
vention of one serious accident 20
one little child, as a result of the
Golden Rule campaign. would
prcve 1t success. What pride
c'ti~"ns Of this city could assume
II Washington actually became
the safest city in the United
States. This can be brought
about by constant observance of
the Golden Rule and its teachings.
Warning to Parents.
During the campaign Of last
week Traffic Director HarlaHd re-
QueSted that parents Of small
children do their part in safe
guarding them. Mr.. Harland was
quoted as saying that a movement
should be started among the par
ents to have them drive home to
their children the idea that they
should never play in the streets.
while the police regulations for
bid skating and coasting and any
other form of play in the streets,
Mr.. Harland stated. these regula-
tionS are difficult to enforce and
1t is up to the parents to do everJ-
thing in their power to keep their
children out of the streets. The
availability of many Fairgrounds
was pointed out.
Mr.. Harland'S warning Is timely
and the traffic records of last year
his contentious that par
ents must not be neglectful OF
this important admonition.
Annual Report Figures.
According to the annual report
of the Traffic Bureau, three chill
dren years old or younger we've
numbered among the traffic fatal
tiles Of 1927. Surely some pa
rental care was lacking in these
caSes. From the ages of to II
the lives of IL children were
out. One hundred seventy
one children. or babies as they
should be called, received personal
injuries during the same period,
and 5I8 were injured between the
ages from 5 up to IL years Of age.
Parental instruction might have
saved many Of these from long
periods of suffering.
The table for all ages. although
many of them children. were
killed or injured for the following
chief causes: Roller skating. %:
playing in street. l40: stepping
from behind passing automobile.
80: stenDing from behind parked
~~tonnabile. i4I: walking in street.
90. and pedestrians drunk at time
Of accident, 81.
The motorist table among the
major causes. Is given as follows:
Lost control, il6: turning In street,
1856: failing to yield right of way,
343: reckless driving, 432; care
less driving described as first
cousin to reckless driving. 25C:
skidding, l47;; defective brakes
and steering gear, AZ: speed, 80:
backing. 107: ran OF roadway, 35:
failure TO give signal, So: passing
street car %; cutting
corner. "a: disobeyitg signal. 81,
and driving while intoxicated, 139.
Six hundred and fourteen acci-
dents occurred when the motor
lists were driving properly. OF
these last accidents. many might
have been ayerted By strict OBJ
TO the Golden Rule.
Male Ratio S. Per Cent.
During last year men figured In
4,i60 traffic accidents. Woman
figured in 295. which, TAX
ing in the ratio OF the greater
number OF male operators, gives
members Of the other sex the
praise-worthy percentage Of only
IS per cent OF the accidents.
These figures are confined 10
pleasure vehicles alone. and these
driven by the owners. Seven hun
drec and ninty-six other acci-
dents were reported. participated
in by drivers not owners.
OF the total vehicles involved IN
traffic nishapE-7,572--last year.
passenger cars figured In 5,25i.
Trucks accounted in 985, street
cars. z67: taxis. Ali: buses, 60;
motor cycles, li5. and ambulanceg,
fire engines and police cars TO-
gether. & The record Of the last
named. those allowed 10 exceed
the speed Of other vehicles, lis one