The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-10-03
TRAFFIC SAFETY DEPENDS
UPON GOOD COOPERATION
Is Like Public HeaIth-An Effec-
tive Partnership Is Needed

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The following address was given by
DR.. r. H. Riley, Director of the State
Department of Health, as radio talk
under the auspices of the Baltimore
Safety Council in connection with it's
campaign for reduction in the pres
ent hazards on our public highways
from motor vehicle accidents.
Like public health, and a great
many other things, traffic safety de-
ponds upon effective partnership.
Whether you are at the wheel or on
the highway, your safety and that of
the other fellow, depends upon both
of you.
analysis of causes of motor We
hicle accidents and fatalities in Mary
land by the Baltimore Safety Council
shows that at least three out of every
four deaths or injuries in automobile
crashes in the State have been due to
certain specific violations Of the mo-
tor vehicle law. The charges most
frequently made were: Exceeding the
speed limit; failure to grant the
right of way to vehicles, or-at cross
ings-to pedestrians; cutting in on
the left when the way ahead was not
clear; failure to keep to the right
side of the road; failure to obey
traffic signals; failure to signal
when about to stop or turn to the
right or left; dangerous and i'm
proper parking; improper head
lights; and in cities-failure to stop
five feet behind a standing street car
discharging or taking on passengers.
"The case against the PEDESTRIANS
the other partner in this business of
traffic safety-was most often stated
in these charges: Failure to observe
traffic signals, that is, crossing the
highway against the signal; cutting
across the street or the road, between
intersections-in other words, what
we used to call jay walking; step
ping into the highway from behind
parked cars; walking on the high
ways on the right side with the traffic,
instead of facing it.; and when the
victims were children, playing on the
highways
Give hundred and thirty-fve per-
sons lost their lives in automobile
traffic crashes in Maryland, last year,
and fifteen thousand were injured.
To bring this closer to each one of US,
let me point out that the latter figure
means that approximately one person
out of every hundred in the total
population of the State was injured
in some way during 1884 in an auto
mobile accident Furthermore, esti
mates based upon figures for the
whole country show that among those
who are injured in this way, one out
Of every ten becomes permanently
disabled.
"These figures give very personal
emphasis to the charge Of reckless
driving or Of speeding or of Jay
walking.
"Maryland has a record in many
respects, and particularly with regard
to public health, of which it is just
ly proud. But the record we now have
of one death, in some part of this
State, every sixteen hours from an
automobile traffic crash appalls every
one of US.
|'The speed mania and reckless driv
ing, and all that they imply, in the
lack of self control, disregard for
laws and for the rights and lives of
others, are responsible for a large
part of these tragic deaths and this
unnecessary suffering In the face of
the hazard involved, absent minded
ness on the part of the driver or pc
destrain, also becomes vice, with
notorious record for destructive conse-
quences.
"Motor transportation has become
an inherent part of our daily lives.
To reduce the hazards for ourselves
and for others the least we can do
is to admit our obligation as partners
in the Safety Traffic business, and to
accept our responsibilities as drivers
and as pedestrians"