Evening star., 1934-10-21

NEWS OuIlIlS UIlC pdoO Live yCdA
from these studies and eXplalnll
Briefly stated, this analysis showed,
at the end of 1882, that license law
States had 80 per cent fewer deaths
following adoption of their laws than
they would have had if their fatality
trend had paralleled that Of the nom
license States. The addition Of the
1888 data has increased this differen-
tial to 31.5 per cent, thus extending
through one more year the favorable
trend established at the time the
license laws were passed.
Two Disadvantages.
While the statistical technique used
In this analysis was entirely valid, it
had two important disadvantages.
First, it was indirect and compli-
Gated. Second, it was necessary to
use death rates on a population or
a registered car basis in order to OBJ
tain figures for the pre-license years,
and neither of these rates took ac-
count of the variations from State
to State and from year to year in
the mileage driven per car per year.
Two years ago the National Con-
ference on Street and Highway Safety
made simple comparison of death
rates in certain license and nom
license States, basing the rates on the
amount of gasoline consumed by
motor vehicles rather than on pop
ulation or registration. The effect
of this method, obviously, is to
measure motor vehicle deaths in terms
of motor vehicle travel, the changes
in which are measured quite accu-
rately by changes in the amount of
gasoline consumed. 1t was not pos
sible to carry the study back salts
factorily beyond 1926 because of the
lack of gasoline consumption figures,
and 1881 was the final year then
available.
Data for two more years are now
at hand and the National Safety
Council has extended the National Con-
ference study through 1893, making
only minor changes in the grouping
of States. The results may be briefly
stated: From 1925 to 1888 the motor
vehicle death rate (per 100000 gall
Ions of gasoline consumption) in
standard license law States dropped
Is per cent, while the rate in other
States increased IA per cent.
Same Comparison Seen.
The same favorable comparison ap-
pears, with minor variations, when
the other States are separated into
groups based on the existence of a
sub-standard licensing law or sub
standard administration of standard
law, and based on geographical loca-
ton. In the seven States with sub
standard law and/or administration
the death rate in 1888 was 7 per cent
above 1926. Among seven MidweStern
non-hcense States there was an ad-
vance of IL per cent. In 10 Southern
non-license States the rate rose 26
per cent. For five Western non-license
States there was an increase of Is
per cent.
One characteristic common to all
the groups is an increase in the
death rate from 1882 to 1888, but
while the advance in the license law
States amounted to 4 per cent, the
increase in the other groups ranged
from to Is per cent. This provides
q test of the laws effectiveness in
checking a sudden unfavorable change,
for at least a part of the increase
came from increases in traffic in the
last four or five months of the year
when light and weather conditions
place skillful driving at premium.
Stricter Licensing Urged.
Unquestionably all States should re-
quire licensing of operators of auto
mobiles. The District of Columbia
has such regulation, but the question
is whether it is stringent enough. 1t
is known that there are some drivers
with licenses on the thoroughfares
here today that have not all the
needed physical attributes and in some
cases the mental caliber necessary for
safe driving. There are drivers with
glass eyes Zone to a driver), missing
arms and deaf ones. 1t Is gravely
doubted that those in this class can
operate a car at all times as it should
be done. Many of these drivers may
have suffered these impairments after
obtaining their licenses, but that fact
does not alter the case today. A re-
examination should be held for
licenses in these cases. A regulation
also should be passed making it OBJ
1igatory for a driver suffering any
such an impairment to make report
to the Traffic Bureau.
twenty-five makes of passenger cars
and five makes of light trucks will be
displayed at the New York Automo-
bile Show in Grand Central Palace
next January. The drawing for space
was conducted by William L. Colt,
chairman of the Show Committee,
and Alfred Reeves, show manager
The drawing followed luncheon to
exhibitors, their representatives and
automobile writer's. The great annual
display of new cars will open Satur-
day, January S. continuing until jan
uary II Sunday excepted).
Applications Exceed Space.
Applications for space this season
far exceeded the amount available for
passenger cars on the first and second
floors of the building, fact gratify-
ing to the Automobile Merchants As
sociation of New York, Inc, under
whose auspices the exposition is to be
staged. Now that space for complete
vehicles has been assigned, applica-
tions for accessory space will be re-
ceived.
The list of trade-named passenger
cars drawing for space alphabetically
arranged) is as follows:
Auburn, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet,
Chrysler, De Soto, Dodge, Duesenberg,
Ford. Graham-P Paige, Hudson, Hup-
mobile, Lafayette, La Sale. Lincoln,
Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Pierce
Arrow, Plymouth, Pontiac. REQ, Stude-
baker, Terraplane and Willys-Over-
land.
Trade-named commercial vehicles
drawing for space included:
Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, REQ and
Terraplane.
French Annual Salon.
The annual French Automobile
Salon, recently participated in by
leading French motor car manufac-
turers and body builders, displayed a
more simplified decoration, with SUBJ
dued color trends prevailing. Blue