Evening star., 1934-09-02

Nation a greater opportunity TO
may fall on Mondays, but in tn
set standard, at least in so far as
Being a great day or period for
motoring, it is extremely important
that all motorists drive most care
fully. More cars on the road than
at other times, it is necessary for
sane, cautious driving for the pre-
vention of accidents. Every year the
newspapers on the day following re-
port many fatalities and miShaps.
The majority of these happenings
can be prevented. 1t is to be hoped
that Labor day 1884 will show a
marked decrease.
Safety Requires Changes.
Seeing the fire engines in the
parade each Labor day, it is inter-
esting to note how soon many OF
them become obsolete. Even in so
short a time following the end of the
horse driven apparatus this is true.
New safety devices not in use few
years ago necessitate the purchase
of more modern equipment.
Not so apparent, but almost as true,
is the case with many pleasure We
hicleS. According to an Associated
Press report, the assertion has been
made in authoritative quarters that
rs per cent of all automobiles now
in use are technically obsolete.
This is something of technical
statement in itself, inasmuch as 1t
quite evidently was not intended to
convey the thought that many We
hicles are ready for replacement.
Rather it was intended to express the
idea that fully three quarters of all
the cars now being driven are without
the safety factors developed by the
motor car industry to meet traffic
conditions that each year have be-
come more exacting.
Made Prior to 1929.
What rs per cent of the motor We
hicles now in use means may be
comprehended more readily when it
is remembered there are under regis
tration in the United States some
thing in excess of 24,000,000 passen-
ger cars and trucks. Approximately
half of these we're manufactured
prior to 1929.
While the industry may thrive up
on the obsolescence of its earlier
product, to large degree at present
it is actual mechanical obsolescence
that brings the greater number of
motorists into the salesroom in search
of replacement.
Technical" obsolescence at pres
ent cannot remove very many motor
cars from the highways, although
there has been a general tightening
up of traffic ordinances and motor
vehicle laws in various cities and
States. Compulsory brake, lighting,
windshield wiper and steering gear
inspection are becoming more COM
mon in the motoring laws of different
sections, but in relatively few States
are cars being arbitrarily ruled unfit
for use, if their owners promise to
have repairs made.
Nevertheless the increasing num-
ber of traffic accidents with steadily
mounting mortality list is actuating
more stringent enforcement of local
motoring laws in many of the more
populous centers.
Accurate Record Exists.
So far as obsolete cars are con-
cerned, the industry's sales organiZa-
tions in the different States have
fairly accurate record of the number
of old cars still in operation; the
information is available from various
sources, all tracing back to the license
issuing agency of each State which
requires complete data on the We
hicles.
1t is largely from these records that
the industry's sales executives have
evolved their estimates of potential
replacement demand during the COM
ing few years. Under anything like
normal conditions 1926-7-8
as approximating normal heavy
demand would come into the market,
heavier proportionately than that of
previous post-depression periods for
the reason that former lean periods
in the motor car industry have been
of considerably shorter duration, and
the sales resistance has broken down
much more quickly than has been
the case in the present recovery
period.
In a general way sales chiefs and
manufacturers alike have ceased to
talk about a large accumulation of
stored up demand ready to be re-
leased "as soon as general conditions
improve" They make no secret of
the fact, however, that they are de-
pending upon replacement buying for
the major portion Of the demand for
their product for some time to come.
Installment Buying Drops.
Washington motorists, IN common
with those elsewhere, have changed
their car-buying habits in recent
years, with fewer purchasing on the
lnstallment basis, according to the
A. A. A. District of Columbia Motor
Club.
Basing its statement on figures fur
niShed by finance companies, the
A A A. said that only 56.8 per cent
Of all new cars sold in 1893 were
purchased on the installment basis,
as compared with 70 per cent in the
peak installment- buying year" of
1924. The statement continued
1T Is interesting to note that the
ratio Of time purchasing of automo-
biles increased steadily from 1919 to
ward trend. This trend hit almost
five years ahead of the advent of the
depression. 1t is also interesting to
note that the trends are the same in
the used car market as they are in
the new car market
1T is possible that more stringent
credit conditions. rather than a deep
rooted reform in family purchasing
Gnk 60 l.
responsible for the change. 1t IS, of
course, fact that in recent years
uncertainty as to the future deferred
people from making long-diStance
commitments-but this was not true
Of the period 1924 to 1928"
Safe Driving Statistics.
That one class of motor vehicle
operators-men as compared with
women or one age group as compared
with another-is superior IN driving