Evening star., 1931-12-13
CAPITALIZING CARELESS DRIVER
OBJECT OF CONNECTICUT TESTS
Mental Examinations for Operators Seek
ing Reinstatement Reveal Novel APP
proach to Greater Hig ghway Safety.

Making the bad boys of the highway
give up secrets of human behavior that
will help all automobile drivers in the
fight for sanity and safety is the latest
innovation in the already unique ac-
tivity of the Connecticut Motor Vehicle
Department. The usual procedure has
been to single out the experienced driv-
ers and to learn from them the facts
about safety. Connecticut is reversing
the idea by reading the minds of those
drivers who have, in one way or an
other, revealed their shortcomings.
Benefit of Humanity.
For the first time in the history OF
automobiling, that small group of trou-
Dlesome operators is to be capitalized
for the benefit OF humanity in general
Connecticut's plan in this connection
Is even more definitely related to capt.
talizing carelessness and ignorance than
was suggested by the announcement OF
It's mental tests earlier in the year
The original, and perhaps ultimate. plan
Is to test the mental reactions of every
applicant for an operators license. but
at present Connecticut is concentrating
on testing those who are applying for
reinstatement or who are on probation
The Connecticut driver who has had
his license revoked or suspended and
who later tries to regain his standing
Is obliged to submit to form of quiz
zing that places him in the unusual DO
sitlon of being an aid to the authorities
in discovering the true facts behind
safety.
If the Connecticut experiment be-
comes general procedure, it is possible
that the highway trouble e-makerS may
find way to repay the States for dam
age inflicted upon citizens and prop
erty. Should such plan become ma
tional, 1t is believed that the prevention
OF future accidents and fatalities, or
even the reduction in their number
would be some compensation for the
ghastly record of the past, which, for
1890 alone. revealed $4,000 fatalities
100000 injuries and a property damage
toll of 5000, 900, 900.
What can the trouble-maker tell the
authorities which the latter do not al
ready know?
What officials Seek.
That is precisely what the officials of
Connecticut's Motor Vehicle Department
seek to find out. They know that every
driver has certain flaws mentally and
these flaws are well known through
years Of study, but there is far less light
on the why" of these defects. What
makes driver behave as he does? Why
is driver cocksure? What is the
mental process behind some act of neg
ligence?
Connecticut proposes to psychoana-
lyze the driver who does not think
safely He alone can give up the facts.
Ask any driver with a fine record of
performance just how he manages to
keep out of trouble and he either ex-
plains that it comes natural" or offers
few trite safety pointers which fail to
make an impression on those who need
to follow them most, simply because
they seem too Obvious" The motorist
who has been in trouble and who seems
to be inclined to do the wrong thing
in any given set of circumstances has
something wrong with his thinking
processes. And it's wrong thinking that
produces nearly all the trouble on the
road today.
Let us assume that you have reached
a point in your suspension period where
you feel you are entitled once again to
enjoy the privilege of being able to
operate a car legally. Let us say that
the authorities believe your case Is