Evening star., 1935-11-21
DRINKING BLAMED
I'm MANY CRASHES
Research Cited to Show
Effect of StimuIants on
Reactions.

'4NCtdIulg tlldb Tile uldJOA u1luC1Iy
ing causes of traffic accidents are
carelessness and thoughtlessness,
Georgia Robertson, one of the many
correspondents who have submitted
trafic suggestions to the Safety
Council of The Star, voices the opin-
ion that compliance with the IL safe
driving rules will mean a great saw
ing of life and escape from number
less injuries"
THE Stars intensive safety cam
paign," she said, with the wonderful
response it is receiving from the pub
lie, should make our streets safer,
though all former efforts for safety
have failed.
"You have attacked the two under
fying causes, careleSsneSS and thought
lessness, that are back of the auto
mobile accidents that leave in their
wake the dead and dying, the manned
and injured perhaps for life, also
wrecked automobiles. Your II safety
rules If obeyed will mean great
saving of life and escape from num-
berless injuries.
MANY auto accidents occur because
the driver fails to stop his car split
second sooner in time of emergency
for a car travelling As miles an hour
moves forward about II feet-or more
than the average length of car
In one-f1fth of second.
The dean of the School of Phar-
macy at Temple University, Philadel-
pf1ia, where recent laboratory expert
ments have been made, said: One
drink Of whisky or one pint of beer
consumed will increase the elapsed
time from the eye to the wheel or
nrake up to as much as four-f1fths
Of q second. If the time is increased
gust two-f1fths of a second, the car
Zone travelling As miles an hour)
travels "a feet farther than normal
expectation before the driver starts
to apply the brakes Retarded reac-
tion time has been tested under the
most rigid scientific conditions, and
Invariably it has been found that al
coholic liquors in any form or amount
retard reaction time says Albion Roy
King, professor of philosophy, Uni
Sersity of Southern California. Feel
fngs Of care and responsibility van
ish with the first effects of a very
little alcohol.
"Can you see any cause for the
greatly increased number of automo-
bile accidents since drinking has been
made fashionable, and our streets
lined with drinking places-scarcely
IN eating place where beer or other
lntoxicantS are not sold? Or in the
chain of drinking places close to
auto filling stations along the great
public highways? Or why there is
10 be Red Cross stations to render
nrst aid to automobile victims along
those highways?
"It is very difficult to believe what
Is true when one does not want to
believe it and act accordingly. 1t re-
nuires true nobility of character!"
! This letter is one of hundreds re-
eeived by the Safety Council during
The course of the present campaign.
Excerpts from some of these letters
follow:
The Careless Driver.
Hurry! Speed upl (Here's rose
The undertaken has your clothes);
All clear ahead? Don't look around,
fYouu see nothing under ground);
Shpp'ry pavement? Have no fear
TYou'n push lilies" in a year,;
Railroad crossing? Well, you and
friend"
VIII lie Quiescent, you may depend
Press the throttle-give 'er gas!
kI'N tell your friends saw you paSs.)
C. S. GARRISON.
please find inclosed safe driving
pledge I have had % years driving
without accident of any kind"
: WILLIAM McCOMB.
= 81 am in entire sympathy with the
objects of your safety campaign but
believe that the wild drivers don't
sign pledges. 1t would put some
teeth in your pledge if you added
p No. 13, to read: To read j. c.
Furnas' And Sudden Death"
With best wishes for your efforts"
. WILLIAM LYTLE SCHURZ.
"I have signed a safety driving
pledge and am sending you same.
j was never much of a hand for
signing pledges.
: ct have been a daily driver of an
automobile since September 1915, and
have never injured any one. have
never even had a ticket for wrong
parking or for any other offence and,
Of course, have never been fined. I
have always been courteous and con-
siderate of the rights of others and
have driven carefully, and I can do
no better after having signed this
pledge.
! THE technical driver who is always
afraid that he will not get all that's
eoming to him is a nuisance; the
horn-blower is q nuisance. scarcely
ever find 1t necessary to blow the
horn, but do use the brakes"
CLIFFORD A. BORDEN.