Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-15

, removed from the highways. Many Of
the dangerous railroad crossings that
once claimed human life with startling
regularity have given way to beautiful
and safe structures separating the rail-
road from the highway. Grade cross
ings that remain usually are protected
by watchmen, lights, moving signals or
bells.
Dangers Removed.
| And so we see two of the three eIe-
ments that have contributed to acct
dents in the past being removed by SCI
ence and modern engineering. The
third and largest element is hard to
cope witt. though when appealed to 1t
always responds and contributes its
scare 70 Saiesy.
This third element is the individual.
either as a motorist or a pedestrian.
Highway safety will never come
until the individual driver assumes
his share in bringing about safety It
Is an individual responsibility-yours
and mine
A perfect automobile in the hands
OF careless and discourteous driver,
even on safe road, may strew that
highway with numerous casualties.
with the highways and vehicles made
safe, 1t behooves the motorist and
pedestrian to observe courtesy and
caution and thus contribute their share
to highway safety.
| The greatest blame for the fearful
| loss OF human lives is now laid at
the door Of the individual, either as a
motorist or an unwary pedestrian.
Many individuals display the wrong at
tltude toward others on the highway.
rms attitude appears to be just plain
vidual.
The individual may be in poor
physical condition, may be incompe-
tent TO drive properly, or, more often
the case, be Indifferent to the rights
OF others on the highway
People in poor physical condition or
unable 10 learn to drive may be kept
on the highways by proper legislation
IL Is harder to cope with the selfish
individual who disregards the rights
OF others or is careless.
Private Cars Predominant.
Nearly four-flfths of the vehicles in
volved in the increasing accidents are
private cars. Statistics show that &C
cidents among commercial cars and
taxicabs are decreasing.
Speeding still holds as one of the
greatest traffic violations in fatal ac-
cldents; pedestrians crossing between
intersections Is also major violation.
Within cities no more accidents occur
&C intersections than at other points.
Unfamiliarity with the regulations or
existing conditions is an important rea-
son for accidents. Many accidents are
caused by drivers under the influence
OF liquor. Nearly so per cent of the
fatal accidents occur in the daylight.
and the greatest number occur in the
late afternoon during Winter days and
between the hours of and O'Clock in
the Summer. The greatest number of
fatal accidents occur between July and
December, with the peak usually in
October.
And so we see the answer to highway
safety Is in the domain of the indi-
vidual-either motorist or pedestrian.
More particularly it is in that part of
the man that controls road courtesy
and craftsmanship.
We see three major factors that cause
highway accidents-the vehicle, the
highway and the individual. We see
the causes Of the accidents due to vehi-
Giles reduced to practically nothing. We
see betterments and improvements that
are building safety into the highways,
and 1t will not be long before all roads
are reasonably safe. This work of road
building and maintenance must con-
tinue. We see in the attitude of the
individual the possibility Of reducing
accidents.
Up to the Individual.
The time may come when each indi-
vidual will take it upon himself to con-
tribute his part to highway safety
Then selfshness and discourtesy will be
transformed into a consideration for
the rights and feelings of others
Selfishness will give way to courtesy
and caution, and it will be unsports-
manlike and unpopular to cheat while
driving on the highway.
Then we shall have safe highways.
The annual toll of thousands of dead
and hundreds of thousands of injured
will pass into history, to be remembered
only as the period of time before selfish
ness gave way to courtesy and caution.