Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
BY RICHARD II. ASHTON,
President, American Railway Association

&SANAAN&@&AS
President, American Railway Association.
The price that is being exacted by
waste, loss, injuries and fatalities Incl
dent to motor vehicle trafnc is clearly
too high. The country had paid this
year an estimated sum Of $4,000, 900 600
as waste and loss in connection with
this trafdc.
This loss, If evenly distributed,
amounts to approximately $25 for each
American citizen and member Of his
household. It Is three times the
amount of the annual salaries of the
teachers in the public schools and about
one-half more than the entire sum that
Is spent every IL months for the main
tenanoe Of the public school system. :,
It Is three-fourths Of the costs OF all
the activities of the Federal Govern
ment. twice the costs Of all the activities
Of the State governments, exclusive Of
road building and maintenance, and
one-half the cost Of government for all
Of the local, municipal, county, town
ship, village and special jurisdictions In
the country.
This sum approximates the interest
on the combined funded debt Of the
Federal Government and all Of the
States and municipalities in the country.
It Is equal to two-thirds of the annual
operating costs Of all of the railroads Of
the country, and to per cent Of the
estimated total annual income Of the
American people.
In the face of the magnitude of this
los sit becomes important that the civic,
business and public interests should lend
the most practical, constructive and de-
termined effort to the solution Of the
traf1c problem.
Home directly Concerned.
The American home is directly con-
cerned in this situation. 1t is perhaps
the greatest sufferer, economically and
socially, from the $1,000 lives q year
that are being snuffed out in traflc &C.
cidents. Within the family circle are
the heartaches and hardships that come
with trafic fatalities and injuries, and
only too often in the removal Of its
means Of economic support and main
tenance.
The railroads have contended with
the burden of the trafdc problem
through grade-crossine accidents, almost
from the advent Of the first automobile
This burden has now expanded and
reached into every phase Of the Nations
economic activity. Grade-crossing acct
dents still are a vital yet comparatively
The National Conference on Street
and Highway Safety at Washington, of
which the American Railway Association
Is a member, after exhaustive study and
investigation, has laid down four lines
Of approach to a solution of the traffic
enigma, but dependent for realization
upon the organized and sympathetic CO.
operation of the States and municipali-
ties, and of the civic, social and eco
nomic units that make them continuing
organizations.
First-Action by the States and cities
for the creation and maintenance of
adequate streets and mechanisms of
traffic control that will make them safe
and reduce to a minimum the hazard to
life and to the operation of vehicles
This effort should extend into the resi-
Dental districts where children play in
the streets and pedestrians cross them
at random.
Second-Education Of every one in the
safe and proper use of the streets and
the development of q clear sense of per-
sonal and individual responsibility on
the part OF every person who uses the
streets and highways. This is essential
to the protection Of life and property
and strikes deeply at the root Of the
traf1ic accident problem Of today.
Third-The exercise Of the public au-
thority in fearless and impartial man
ner in the administration and enforce
ern the use of the streets and highways.
Without even-handed enforcement all
measures for relief from the traffic prob
lem, and the greater protection OF hui
man life, must fail in their objective.
Fourth-Uniformity in the laws Of
States and the ordinances of cities and
towns, to the end that regulation and
control may be as simple as practicable,
easily understood and more willingly
obeyed by the drivers Of vehicles and by
pedestrians.
For Safe Drivers Only.
In itA final aspect, apart from ade-
quate facilities, the traf1lc accident prob
lem comes down to the simple PROPOSE
ton that operators Of vehicles must be
allowed to vSe the streets and highways
only when they show their willingness
and ability to do so with safety to them
selves and others, and when they main
tain their vehicles in a safe operating
condition. Effective public supervision
Is essential to this end.
Education Of the public in matters
affecting the safety and the expeditions
movement Of traffic Is likewise neces-
sary. 1t embraces children In the
effect on the light snowfalls. But the
only way to avoid discomfort and acci-
dents In cases Of sudden light SHOWS
IaAA l. a. L.