Evening star., 1931-06-21
y FFTCIALLY Summer arrives
today. With the approach
J of this ason comes


Of this aSon comes
thoughts of vacation, ana
upperrnost in the minds OF mary
residents of the National CaplCai
is the desire for motoring;
At no time have there peen so
many roads in such gooo conol-
ton. Fine highways LEAD every
where. It just depends on VINO
and what you want to see Wnicn
road YOU take. Because OF the
DEPRESSION many States have au-
thorized new roads and improve
ments to aid the employment
situation.
Aid to American Business.
The American citizen can aid
American business by seeing the
United States this year instead OF
spending money abroad. There is
no better way to see America tnan
by motoring.
Before stepping on the old
starter there are few things to
consider-namely the condition Of
the car. According to w. T.
Palmer, Official Of an equipment
company, there are 10 things to
think about before starting on on
q trip. These are:
Safety Thoughts.
1. Brakes-The entire safety OF
the car is measured by their en-
cheney; brakes should be Inspected
at regular intervals and refined
when worn.
2. Steering gear-MuSt never fail
should be inspected by experts
often.
8. Tires+Blowouts are danger
Gus; care in driving, maintaining
pressure and filling cuts will tend
to prevent them from blowing out.
4. Wheels Safety depends on
their structural strength and con-
dition, tighten frequently and keep
in alignment.
S. Bumpers Must be sturdy
enough to absorb heavy shocks;
tighen and straighten when neces-
sary.
6. Body Should have strong
framing and preferably be OF
steel construction; tighten joints
and bolts attaching body to
chassis.
7. Front axle-Sturdiness is eS-
sential to prevent breakdownS and
minimize collision damage. Re-
suits bad if weak axle gives way
8. Carburetor-MuSt be f1reproof
away from electrical units fol-
safety.
8. Glass-should be non-shat-
terable.
10. Sedan tops Should have
all-steel corner posts and safe
clearance.
Grade Crossing Accidents.
While on your trip do not run
into trains at highway crossings
This advice sounds needless, but
according to ]. G. Nettleton, gen.
eral agent of the Pennsylvania
Railroad in Washington, reckless
motorists who crash into trains
at highway crossings on the Penn
Sylvania Railroad are respon-
sible for 40 per cent Of the high
way crossing accidents reported
for the first quarter of this year
Figures just compiled by ouI
department of safety" Mr.. Net
tleton states, "show that ~ pei
cent of all cEasSing. accidents In
the first three months Of 1881
were the result of motor vehicles
actually running into trains.
Most motorists want to be and
are careful drivers, but these fig
ures indicate how motor vehicles,
when reckleSSly driven, become a
menace to the train as well as
highway traffic.
Analysis of highway crossing
accidents on the Pennsylvania
Railroad so far this year indicates
that one-half of all these acci-
dents occurred when trains either
were standing still or moving at
less than 20 miles per hour. Thus
the old conception that accidents
happen because high-speed ex-
press trains bear down on the
unsuSpecting motoriSt before he
can get out of the way is clearly
unfounded.
1.-THE number Of cars which
crash into standing trains is un-
doubtedly much greater than the
public generally realizes. We may
wonder what is going on in a
drivers mind which would cause
him to drive deliberately into a
train on a highway crossing, but
the fact remains that the rail-
roads property is constantly being
damaged by reckless drivers.
1--WE have had instances where
these needless drivers, seemingly
obliviouS to such siZable object
as a railway box car, plunge head
long into 80 and 100 car freight
trains when half of the train or
more has already moved over the
crossing.
Despite this recklessneSs on the
part Of some automobile drivers,
however, casualties from highway
crossing accidents on the Penn
sylvania Railroad were reduced
80 per cent last year and we are
eXerting every effort to make a
still further reduction this year."
Back-Seat Driving.
While motoring be careful of
back-seat driving. Until few
days ago it appeared that every
one thought alike along those
lines. But it now appears there
are some who think differently.
According to the ErSkine Traffic
Bureau of Harvard, back-Seat
driving ought to be welcomed
rather than condemned as bitterly
as it is. It would be welcomed,
according to the bureaus director,