Evening star., 1932-10-05
SAFETY DIRECTOR
SCORES ATTITUDE
w. P. BorIand Criticizes Pub
lie for Taking Accidents
as Matter of Course.

Criticizing the tendency of the pub
lie to take traffic accidents as a mat
ter of course, w. P. Borland, director
of safety for the Interstate Commerce
Commission, told the safety section of
the American Railway Association to-
day a new attitude is demanded in a
situation that is costing thousands OF
lives and millions of dollars annually
Speaking at the twelfth annual con-
vention of the section. which is COM
posed OF railroad officers in charge of
safety work. Mr.. Borland drew COM
parison between accident investigation
on railroads and highways. If the lat
ter received the same attention as the
former. he said. notable improvement
would be effected.
Highway Accidents Up.
While casualties resulting from rail-
road accidents have been decreasing
for years" he said. there has been a
constant increase in the number on
the highways.
Formerly many accidents on rail-
roads we're investigated for the prlncl-
pal purpose of aScertaining the imme-
diate cause, then determining what
disciplinary action should be taken and
to what extent it should be carried.
There the matter rested. Today We
are paying increasing attention to the
more important side of the question,
which is the development of underly-
ing causes with view of proflting by
the unfortunate experiences of the past.
This is a long step in the right direc-
ton, but more widespread applica-
ton Of this policy when it comes to an
investigation of all other accidents,
whether on the railroads or highway,
would undoubtedly materially reduce
the economic waste that comes from
accidents today.
How often do we read of collision
between automobiles resulting in the
death Of one of the occupants and sub
sequentiy read in the paper where a
coroner's jury returned a verdict OF
unavoidable accident
Accidents AvoidabIe.
For all practical purposes there is
no such thing as an unavoidable accl-
dent Particularly is this true as to
collision between two automobiles or
between two trains, for some one Is at
fault.
1T may be argued that no one has
UllHC W oASiAiAy oNN4ANAANo -
careful and painstaking investigation
but the answer to any such argument
is that if such accidents are lnvesti-
gated carefully and with sufficient
thoroughness to bring out the under
lying condition or situation which may
exist, the time soon will come when
there will not be very many to investi-
gate. Furthermore, you can rest as
sured that the occurrence of major ac-
cidents will decrease just as rapidly as
do the minor accidents"
o. H. Page. general superintendent
of the Atlantic Coast Line. told the
meeting the railroads have saved
$3.50, 100000 by their safety work in the
past seven years, and that this has been
the largest item in their general
economy program.
He said deep consideration should be
given any proposal to retrench in this
direction
The section, meeting at the Wash
ington Hotel, was scheduled to elect
officers late today and the installation
will be held at the closing session to-
morrow.
Secretary of Labor Doak addressed
the gathering yesterday afternoon and
praised the record the railroads have
made in promoting the cause of safety,
both for the travelling public and en-
ployes.