The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-04-19
STEP OFF THE GAS!
Reprinted from Golfers.

conducts an inquiry and holds trials.
Congress considers new laws. Re-
sponsible officers have to prove that
they exhibited Skill, courage and sin
telligence in emergency or else they
are driven in shame from the sea.
Yet during the last one hundred
years just 10000 deaths have been
attributed to marine disasters
throughout the world. In the United
States alone during the past three
years motor vehicle accidents have
resulted in $4,000 deaths.
Last year the accident record was
worst About $4,000 people were
killed and nearly million were in
jured in $4,000 personal---very. &C
cidents This is an all-time record.
Nothing in history outside of war and
rare outbreak of pestilence has
ever approached this figure.
1t is not a record in which a con-
scientious and intelligent people are
able to take pride.
For some years now the Travellers
insurance Company has collected
md made public the figures. The
record is grim but it must be consid-
cred. Public opinion will not end
.essly tolerate the conditions which
result in such appalling losses of
life, health and hard-earned prop
arty.
One conclusion stands out like a
monument. Excessive speed is the
major factor. Cars are better than
drivers. AS group we have not
jhown that we possess the character
or the intelligence to operate safely
The marvellous machines put at our
disposal
Most serious accidents occur
where driving conditions are most
favorable. Dry roads, not those
slippery with rain or ice, are the
scenes of the greatest disaster.
Straight, smooth roadways, not the
city streets, are most dangerous.
| Good cars, we'll equipped with
brakes, not dilapidated ancient ma
chimes, are involved in most of the
serious accidents. Sober drivers,
not drunken men and women, are
chiefly responsible.
OF course, many careful, compe-
tent and wholly innocent people are
killed and many others are injured
in accidents they could not prevent
and for which they are in no wise
responsible. But these innocents are
injured or killed by others whose
recklessness is the one and import
ant factor.
Excess speed is admittedly, how
ever, not the only factor in this
\ dreadful waste of life, health and
property. All of the contributing
| causes must be isolated, examined
and understood clearly if we are seri-
ously to attack the problem of how to
achieve safety.
The use of intoxicants is a grow
ing factor. Last year 3.16 per cent
of the drivers involved in motor &C
cidents were declared to have been
under the influence of alcohol. This
is sharp increase over the record of
1888.
But sober drivers and sober pedes-
TRANS are responsible for the vast
majority of accidents. Experienced
drivers did things which experience,
common sense and common decency
forbid.
For example, exceeding the speed
limit accounted for 123,98O accidents
in which $3.50 people We're killed.
Driving ON the wrong side of the
road resulted in 92,57O accidents
and 3,470 deaths.
Driving without the right of way
caused 136,S8O accidents and 2,74O
deaths.
Passing on a curve or hill caused
9,540 accidents and 470 deaths.
Failure to signal or improper sig
mailing explained 2S,61O accidents
and 22O deaths.
Driving off the roadway accounted
for 6O.590 accidents and $500
deaths.
Plain reckless driving contributed
So, 29O accidents and 2,740 deaths.
Offenses such as these would cost
a mariner or a locomotive engineer
his job. The officers OF ship guilty
of such recklessness would be held