Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-10-05
Traffic Responsibility
Rests Upon the Drivers
To the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor OF The Star:
see by the paper that another safety
campaign Is being inaugurated with the
view Of lessening the appalling loss of
life in traffic, in which wish to heartily
join.
Or city fathers are now preparing to
reduce the colossal blunders in the
initial fundamental approach to the
traffic problem to a further absurdity
by proposing to arrest and fine the citi-
zens dollar to make them walk safely
when they are not qualified or will not do
SO to save their lives. This proposal, by
the way, Is not new, but has been tried
here before and abandoned after its
futility was demonstrated.
Surely the application of a modicum
Of common sense should bring a reali-
cation that to allow potentially irrespon-
Sible persons to operate dangerous in
strument of death like an automobile
under regulations which have the effect
Of providing that after holding out his
hand he may turn and crash into an
other machine, or after blowing his horn
proceed to snuff out the life of any child
or aged person in the way, could have
no other result in the natural course of
things than the present tremendous loss
Of life which has now become larger
than that caused by war.
The entire benefit derived from the
motor industry, including employment,
the profits of manufacturers and dealers,
use Of materials. convenience of the pub
lie, Government collection of taxes, etc.,
in the sum total, is not worth the lives
that are being taken unnecessarily
largely through the lack of proper regu-
lation. The right of the citizen funda-
mentally and guaranteed by the ConSti-
tuition to his life and safety is superior
to any right of a minority to indulge
their vanity, comfort and convenience
by driving potential instruments of
death in, about and around the places
where the citizen must walk.
When this fundamental fact Is fully
realized it is apparent that the solution
OF the traffic injury problem lies in
definitely placing the responsibility for
personal injuries caused by automobiles
where 1t belongs, upon the automobile
and those responsible for its operation.
This would in large part automatically
result in stricter requirements In the
qualifications for driving. If the man.
agement Of a railroad company per-
mitted its engines to be operated by
immature. unqualified and unreliable
persons, that management would soon be
changed. or the railroad would 60 into
bankruptcy paying damages. To become
q railroad engineer-and the railroad
engine is inherently less dangerous in
its operation than the automobile-one
must serve apprenticeship for long
period and thoroughly demonstrate fit
ness before being allowed to assume the
responsibility.
If this common sense procedure of
holding the automobiles responsible
under competent and responsible driv-
ing were adopted, and we could have less
of the multitudinous and unnecessary
regulations and the constant present
harassment and bulldozing of perfectly
safe and competent drivers for every
thing from a perfectly safe speed to
irregularly parking, many lives would
be saved and much annoyance avoided.
F. D. DAVIDSON.