The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-12-15
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
THE MENACE OF DRUNKEN DRIVING

Sufficient time has now gone by since the repeal
of prohibition to yield figures which give a def
mite idea of its effect upon motor accidents.
These figures, gathered from all over the country,
make an appalling showing.
a typical study is that made by Mr. j. w. Fish
er, in Nassau county, New York. He tells us that
in the month of May the number of accidents in
his county showed very sharp increase over the
figure for May of last year. For the first five
months of this year the number Of accidents in
volving drivers who had been drinking was nearly
three times as great as those recorded during the
corresponding period last year.
There is reason to suppose that this study
reflects extreme or unique conditions DR.. Theron
Wendell Kilmer police surgeon and traffic expert
read paper the other day before the convention
of the International Association of Chiefs of Police
which gave many figures just as disquieting His
statistics gathered by an insurance company
OF high repute, and presumably trustworthy
For many states, they indicate an increase of
drunken drivers ranging from 25 per cent in New
York to II per cent in Pennsylvania and 100 per
cent in Rhode Island
Some of our cities make even worse showing,
the increase in Cincinnati being given as $50 per
cent and that in Los Angeles as 479 per cent Also
there has been large increase in the number of
intoxicated pedestrians injured by automobiles.
The drunken drivers, unhappily, included many wo-
men, some of them very young women. If the stu
atlon on the face of it, is not more alarming
it is because it is possible that many tender-hear-
ed magistrate accepts plea of reckless driving
when the facts warrant charge of drunken driv-
ing. This is a practice which Doctor Kilmer de-
clares should be forbidden.
Many prosecutions fail and many police wit
nesses stumble and fater under sharp cross-exam-
nation owing to the careless and spshod manner
in which the drivers condition was determined at
the time of arrest. To meet this situation, pro-
gressive traffic authorities formulating standard
lied scientific methods of examination, with record
forms that are minute and precise in detail as
to defy rebuttal by guilty defendant This is OBJ
viously long step in the right direction.
The problem of the reckless driver and the in
toxcated driver is one well worthy of intensive
study everywhere and the adoption of measures
more drastic than those which have been common
in the past. While the matter is being looked into,
we should like to see thorough trial of a plan
proposed by Mr.. Thomas E. Sanders, of Racine
Wisconsin. Mr.. Sanders would have our magis-
trates empowered to lock up not only our danger
Gus drivers but the cars they drive as we'll He
reasons that the Inconvenience involved in paying
la small fine is nconsiderable but if car owners
were deprived of the use of their vehicles for
weeks or months at time, they would be much
more careful in their selection of the persons
whom they permit to drive them. This would be
especially true in the of merchants and others
who often employ careless and reckless lads to
their delivery trucks. 1t would hold for parents
who are lax about seeing to it that their young
! people drive with care and safety. Mr.. Sanders
proposal is so simple and so practicable that i
well deserves thorough tryout.-Saturday Eve
ming Post. rIE