Evening star., 1932-03-06
In the Motor World
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.
tages gained from the use OF the
motor car

LdS6S SdlIlSO 1IOu1 GIiC uoS w tA1C
motor car.
Public Apathetic.
"The general public has failed
to take any interest in this grave
situation, despite the efforts OF a
number of organizations, aided by
the press, to stir it into action. A
Nation wide survey shows that ST
per cent of all accidents were due
to improper driving practices and
all authorities agree that the ma
jority of automobile accidents are
preventable. Some means of
arousing John Citizen must be
found if any improvement is ex-
pected. individuals will indorSe
a complete safety program one
minute and then proceed to
break every rule it establishes as
soon as they are behind the
wheel of their own car. They
must be made to realize that their
child may be next, and that their
neighbor's safety is as important
as their own.
There are two ways in which
this shell Of indifference can be
cracked; by legislation and edu-
cation. A complete program of
uniform State motor vehicle laws,
municipal traffic ordinances and
traffic signs, signals and mark
ings has been prepared by the
National Conference on Street
and Highway Safety. These laws
will go far to guarantee that only
competent drivers will be on the
highways and to Standardlze
traffic regulations throughout the
country. If vigorously enforced
by adequate highway patrols, as
is already done in some States,
they will undoubtedly cut the
number of accidents and reduce
the death rate.
Legislation alone is not suf-
f1cient. 1t is also necessary to ed
ucate the public in the safest
methods of operating an automo-
bile, particularly in traffic, and to
impress the tragic consequences
of negligence upon each driver so
deeply that he will put his newly
acquired knowledge into practice.
Insurance Companies Concerned.
when one considers that the
insurance companies pay out ap-
proximately one hundred million
dollars each year because of
claims made for injuries to per-
sons or property the scope OF the
problem becomes clear. The COM
panies feel justified in undertak-
ing extensive loss prevention
work, on the theory that it is
better to spend a dollar to avert
an accident than it is to spend 1t
in paying for damage. Where a
feet policy covering number OF
cars makes it possible a safety
engineer is sent to teach the need
for care. A driving school is or
ganized. The causes of accidents
are analyZed. Incentives for a
fawless accident record are given
the drivers and penalties imposed
in the event injuries occur
through carelessneSs. Mechanic
al inspection of the equipment is
furnished and all defects so re-
vealed corrected. AS a result of
the work being undertaken along
these lines the accident rate of
concerns operating a number of
cars has gone down steadily,
while the private passenger car
continues to kill a larger number
every year.
"A survey of the automobile ac-
cidents which occurred during
1880 revealed that 80 per cent of
the persons killed were the vic
Tins of automobiles in good me-
chanical condition at the time of
mishap and that only in about
one-ffth of the total number Of
fatal cases did weather condi-
tions play any part. Ninety per
cent of the drivers involved in
accidents had more than one
years experience. These facts
put the blame for the terrific
total in killed and injured direct
ly on the negligent driver. Those
who hold their own lives so light
ly that they are willing to risk
losing them in an effort to save
five minutes should be curbed by
public opinion as well as legisla-
tion. When improper driving is
recognized as crime against So
ciety dts toll in lives and money
is far greater than that enacted
by any other crime) the death
rate will drop sharply. That
happy day will arrive as soon as
the individual realizes that every
accident that takes place costs
him money, in the form Of in
creased insurance costs, and that
he or some member of his family
may be the next victim Of the
reckless or incompetent driver. If
we would all drive properly our
selves and evidence vigorous con-
demnation whenever some one
else is careless at the wheel, the
problem would lose its gravity al
most Immediately"
NEGL GLIGENCE is QUESTION