New Britain herald., 1929-02-20
SCENIC HIGHWAYS ON STATES HILLS
Plans NoI BdnS ConAred, Commissioner StoGka SiJs
Especial to the Herald,

Bristol, Feb. 20 Scenic high ways, running north and south on top of Connecticut's hills. to b. used exclusively by pleasure cars. were predicted by Robbins E. 6toeckel commissioner of motor vehicles, at the annual banquet of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce held last evening in the Endee Inn. Such an arrangement would leave the present trunk lines free for commercial ve- hicles and would expedite the move ment of products into and out oi the state. Plans of such proposed scenic highways arc now being con- sidered and the fulnlment of such plans is not 70 far distant. accord ing to Mr. Stoeckel.
 A movement is now under way, the speaker added. to bring about coordination and uniformity oi city traffic. A delegation of police chiefs of the state are conferrinG with the motor vehicle commissioner today on this subject and it is plan- ned to present 8 bill to the legis- lature to govern such traffic.
 Junk Cars Live Forever
 MT. Stoeckel also spoke of bill now under consideration by the leg islature which would prevent the re- turn to the highway of a car which had been junked. An investigation by the motor vehicle department, the speaker pointed out, had revealed on instance where the same old car had been junked on four different occasions and had bobbed up again hnd again by being turned in on the purchase of 2 new car. In each in- etance the dealers had made a $l00 Allowance for the car while the per pon turning it in had purchased it From the junk heap for tz5.
 AS a preventive. MT. Stoeckel buggested that such cars be junked piece by piece. He also believed 1t advisable to sub-divide automobile iealers' licenses and to m, Ike q deal prs license and junk dealers H. cense. The bill, to be suggested. would insist that such dealers hav- ng divided license sell junked bars only in parts.
 The speaker also commented on 2 pill now in the hands of a iegisla i've committee which prescribed hat every junk dealer grow a hedge about automobile graveyards o hide such spots from the view of he passing autoists. One member If the committee has suggested that
 high board fence be erected in uch spots.
 Urges Reexaminatfon
 The reexamination of automobile operators was also brought up by ir. Stoeckel. He pointed out that many drivers of today had secured censes number of years ago when here were very few traffic difficult les and it was only fair to assume hat undoubtedly . number of those rivers are today incompetent to perate automobiles with the in- reased traffic problems. He be- eyes that such reexaminations Eould decrease the number of acci- ents, particularly when such testa Fere made by group of high Iduc A IcC NOulu OG harged for the reexamination.
 Figures of the motor vehicle de- artment indicate that of every hun. red drivers, s5 are getting by suc- essfully, 12 are the type who by a homentary mental lapse are chased
 easy victims of distraction, and he other three are criminals. Those assed as criminals are easy to ham, le but the twelve are the ones hich present the greatest problem. hese. the speaker believed. would weeded out by the proposed re- kamination.
 Accident Figures Presented
 Accident statistics. compiled and resented at the annual Chamber of Ommerce banquet last evening by Aperintendent Karl A. Reiche. pra- Fnted some interesting facts. In 24. six Bristol school children ere struck by automobiles: in 1925, ne were injured. an increase of 50 er cent: in 1926. II, an increase of
 per cent: in 1927, 16. an increase
 56 per cent: and in 1928. 42. rep senting an increase Of 1892 1-2 per mt. The average age of children jured was between 6 1-4 and ' 7-8 ars. Over a five year period. fig- es indicated that GO per cent of oh accidents were the fault of ildren: 14 per cent the fault of ivers. and 26 per cent the respon- bility was divided.
 During the year 1928 there were automobile accidents in the city, volving SS adults and 47 children
 these 120 occurred at street in- rsections. 115 on clear highwayr. while cars were going upgrade, nile going down grade. and 25 on rves. Further. 2O6 of the acci- nts occurred on good roads and der good operating conditions, and 6 or 56 per cent happened in broad wight. In 90 per cent of the ac- lents. the drivers were of the male k. while in 10 per cent women op- htors were involved.
 Five per cent of the accidents in- lved drivers of 16 years Of age. e per cent. o. orators of IS or 19:
 per cent. drivers in the twenties:
 per cent. drivers in the thirties;
 per cent. operators between 90 d 50 years of age. and the ball. ce. beyond the half century mark.