Evening star., 1929-12-08
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

|
that the number of low number
enthusiasts would approximate
100000. He did not disclose
whether he favored such plan or
not.
If such a plan were adopted
here the Commissioners might
lose their low numbers unless they
wished to pay extra for tags /, 2
and 8. The low-number craze is a
curious quirk in the makeup Of
various individuals. 1t is easy for
the owner to remember it, but 1t is
just as easy for members of the
police department, Some citizens
like hard numbers to remember,
so if accustomed to park too long
the policeman will not be likely
to remember that it was the same
car he "ticketed" last week. Some
people like their automobile tag
numbers to correspond with their
residence address and sometimes
their telephone numbers. Others
like their cars to display poker
hands.
It is easy to see why person.
would prefer an easy telephone
number, and there is no question
but that the telephone company
has difficult row to hoe in pleas
ing all its subscribers along that
line. A striking example is the
home of the Scottish Rite Council
on Sixteenth street. Three, five,
seven and nine are considered
lucky numbers of the aricients.
The steps of the temple ON Six
teenth street are ARRANGED in
series of three, five, seven and
nine. The telephone number is
North 3579.
Speed Unfairly Blamed.
A life insurance company, one of
the largest concerns, is opposing
any increase in speed limits and
letting up Of any of the present
traf11c regulations. The company
calls to attention the growing list
OF fatalities each year caused by
automobile accidents, and as a
matter of good business alone
would like to see this toll de-
creased. Well, so does every one
else want the same thing, but |
every one is not blaming these ac-
c1dentS on speeding, as is the in |
Surance company in question. The |
company, after summing up the |
fatalities for a number of wears. |
states, Obviously, under the pres |
ent conditions. there can be no |
thought Of encouraging those who |
would let down the bars of traffic |
regulation and thus permit higher |
speeds than are now allowed on
our streets and highways. Speed
ing is the principal source OF auto
mobile fatalities, and If control is
to be won over this hazard it will i
be through more rather than less
regulation"
To every one this is not so OBJ
vious, and statistics will prove that
speed is not the chief cause of ac-
cidentS. True, in many cases
speed may be involved, but not
speed alone. An intoxicated man
may be driving very fast and cause
an accident. But is the cause
speed or intoxication? Almost
every one will say that intoxica-
ton was the chief cause. Cutting
in and out of a line of cars along
country road at fast speed may
result in an accident. But was it
not the reckleSSneSS - the lack Of
Judgment to blame more than
speed?
In the city the majority of ac-
cidentS are not caused by speed.
More people are killed in the cities
than in the country. How does
speed become the principal cause
Of accidents? While not in the
same business all citizens of the
Nation want to see traffic deaths
and injuries cut down. But let's
dnd out the real cause and eradi-
cate it as much as possible. There
are enough regulations-too many
1t is care that is needed, and no
one will deny that a motoriSt can
drive fast and. at the same time
with care.
The rest of the insurance COM
pany'S statements are of interest.
The grim report follows, in part:
Report of Fatalities.
"The cumulative death rate for
from automobile acci-
dents for the first 10 months of
1919 was by far the highest ever
recorded among the more than
Is, 100000 company policyholders
in the United States and Canada,
which constitutes a reliable cross
section of the population of the
two countries. The rate of 1875
per 100000 means that 3,079 per-
sons of this group had lost their
lives from this cause since the be-
ginning of the year, and indica-
tionS are that the record for the /
full year will be double that Of 10
years ago and nine times that of
the automobile accident mortality
rate of 1911.
Among this croSS-S section of the
population the automobile is re-
Sponsible for one-third of all the
accident deaths. It has caused as
many deaths as the four principal!
diseases of, childhood - measles
scarlet fever, whooping cough anG
- combined. In this |
class there has been one automo-
bile fatality this year to every four |
deaths from cancer, to every three |
from apoplexy and to every seven
and one-half from heart disease.
the leading cause of death. More
than 2'per cent Of all deaths from
all causes are now due to auto
mobile accidents. '...
What has happened among the
insured conforms closely to de-
velopments in the general popula-
ton of the cities of the country"
according to the insurance COM
pany'S Statistical Bulletin. "ThiS
ic ch0UY0 in q cfotaY,oa1f rnoAv.Al~,