Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

lHuuCeQ ny lOIlS -ulSIdIlCe IIdNeI dllu lAlC
lulling rhythm of the modern motor,
are commencing to play villainous role
in aggravating the automobile accident
problem, according to racy story OF
ultra modern highway hazards read be-
tween the lines of statistics. The risk
of falling asleep at the switci is super
seeded by the more fatal danger of fall
| ing asleep at the wheel and thousands
of motorists are needlesSly losing their
| lives as consequence.
The new risk does not appear to be
entirely the result of trying to cover
| too many miles per day. Speed may be
| induced by the fact that the modern
car operates so smoothly and with so
! few demands upon the operator that
boredom sets in. Eye strain, occasioned
| by the rapidly moving scenic piano.
rama, also hastens fatigue.
In travelling by automobile every
driver these days has the new enemy OF
fatigue to guard against. He also will
need to protect himself against the
drowSinesS of other users of the road
| who may endanger him. AS detail OF
the safeguarding pan some drivers now
, sound their horns more frequently in
order to arouse operators of approach
ing cars. especially on curves
Many drivers are both mentally and
physically fatigued lcng before they
! complete the mileage planned for the
day. This usually is brought on by
failure to valy the rte with occasional
stops or through not being in proper
physical conditions before setting out
If the mind or body has been over
worked prior to the trip. the driver is
apt to feel that he is going to get some
rest at the wheel. This very thought
often is the basis of fatality.
Robbins B. Stocked, Connecticut mo-
tor vehicle commissioner, recently said
over the air that 1.-The movement of an
automobile is inductive to slumber with
some people" 1t is not generally ap-
preciated that this inclination has been
extended to apply to much larger
group because of the sleep inducing
effect of normal road speed. The man
who opens up the throttle has some
thing of safeguard in the fact that he
has to apply himself to the job, but at
speeds of 40 or there aboutS many thou
SanoS OF drivers are apt TO doZe of.
The motor runs smoothly, the scenery
glideS by and the air blows Soothingly
through the windows of the car.
Commissioner Stoeckel adds d that lit
has happened frequently that persons
otherwise alert will drop of for an
instant after driving a car too long.
Each operator ought to consider this
particular danger and remember that
he has limit of endurance, even If the
machine has not Serious accidents
occur again and again because Of
momentary Gozing off or lack of atten-
ton caused by drowsiness. 1t is a good
rule to measure your capacity carefully
and at the first indication of fatigue or
WEAKNESS to stop operation and rest
or to let some one who is wide awake
drive the car
Recognizing the increasing danger Of
falling asleep at the wheel, one expert
enced driver makes it an inviolable rule
to stop the car every 25 miles for
brief rest period. He steps out Of the
car, walks around a few minutes, takes
few deep breaths of air and starts Of
again. While he loses a little time
through this method, he makes it up on
the next Straightaway.
An occasional burst of speed in ex-
cess Of the usual average Is part of mis-
wheel. In his opinion too many motor
lists travel at too steady q gait. This
plan may be practical from the stand
point of making good time, but it is
often a direc, cause of sudden Slumber.
The risk of falling asleep while driv-
ing is by no means strictly a mental
condition. AS the body remains mac
tive poisonS store up in the system and
produce fatigue If these are not
worked off by occas ,onal stopping, with
exercise, the driver becomes as tired
as if he had worked hard. Experienced
drivers, while not fully sensing the dan
ger of drOwSineSS, make Ii a rule to
fight this unnecessary type of fatigue
by keeping more active at the wheel.
1t is customary TO see them change
the position of the front seat from time
to time or hold the steering wheel diff
ferent way. They will feed gas with
the hand control TO give the right foot
little vacation from the accelerator
pedal. Where cars are equipped with
special trar1smissions you will find them
shifting gears where the car might per-
form reasonably well without this at
tention.
Conversation hazard in traffic
driving may be a lifesaver on the open
road when a motorist is covering an
unusual distance. 1t stimulates thought
and frequently induces physical action,
all OF which helps to keep the driver
alert and free from the danger of drop
ping off, perhaps to eternity.
Safety exparts generally condemn the
plan of drivers alternating at the wheel
while one sleeps Without any one to
talk 10 the operator is very apt TO fail
leep himself. Alternating drivers is
on way to meet the problem Of fatigue
If the operator being relieved will not
Use the rest p2Iiod to s'eep. II sleep
is neeaed, neither driver should attempt
10 progress farther. res. for both be-
ing the only safe way cut.
Sleep that Is taken in moving auto
mobile Is not reStful. Frequently after
| having slept for some time in a moving
car people have taken the wheel, only
to doZe off again.
There are exceptions to any of the
| situations mentioned. but the tendency
| is to forget that where motorists are
able TO tour great distances without
! time out for a real nights rest they
often have conditioned themselves for
/ lust such activity. The average man
thinks he can pack up the grips lock up
the house. c2llec a sCua billing family
and then toss OIL As many miles as the
t"anSC ontinental tourist who he's the
garage man bling his car to his hotel
when he is ready to start.
/ Cars themselves PLAY a surprisingly
important rcle in tn business of keep
, ing from slumboring a-wheel Some
machines are invigora ing to handle
and are less likely to encourage drowsi-
ness. II a car Is so easy to drive that
you feel as il you could hanile it lin
your sleep" the thing to do is to run
1t faster uphill or on level stretches
where 1t is both safe and legal to do so
The car will not be so sleep COMPEL
ing when you make 1t work a little.
The drone of the motor is a source
of danger. Vary the speed as much as
you can in order to get different sounds
from under the hood instead Of the