White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-10-10
TOO MANY ACCIDENTS

We are in the midst of one of the most
worthwhile campaigns of the present day-a cam
paign to cut down the appalling number of fatal
tiles caused by automobile accidents
Each year there are over 5000 deaths from
toring accidents than the total number of
American soldiers killed in action during the
World War. Reckless driving, improper equip
ment and mans failure to think quickly bring
toll of million injuries year, over and
above the $4,000 fatalities.
Now and then local or state police forces wage
a campaign against reckless driving and against
the use of improper equipment in order to cut
down on the number of accidents. But the toll in
creases each year. The present campaign is no
such haf-hearted effort to make example OF a
few in the hopes that the rest will profit. It is
aggressive movement which should bring some
suits, if anything
This traffic problem, however, is a two-edged
sword. The reckless or drunken driver while de-
serving the most stringent punishment that
be melted out, is not alone responsible for all of
the deaths on the highways.
A short while ago motorst was driving
through a community which staging most
aggressive campaign against improper driving. AS
he approached wide curve he saw two boys play
ing on the side Of the road. From the opposite
direction came another AS that rounded
the curve and drew nearly abreast of the motorst,
the two boys ran into the road. What could the
could not dodge around the boys without crash
ing into the other over the bank. AS it hap
pened, his brakes good and he managed to
stop within few feet Of the youths, who seemed
not at all frightened. But what if he had been
driving only the least bit faster?
Several miles further along the highway, the
motorist came to another curve, an extremely
dangerous one and here was a small boy on BIZ
cycle, riding squarely down the middle Of the road
Would it have been the drivers fault if coming
around the curve from the other direction car and
bicycle had hit?
Every motorist who has travelled through a pop
ulated district as school dismissed has
boys and girls walking, riding and skating down
the highway, blissfully unconcerned about passing
traffic. No campaign against reckless driving
prevent accidents here for the most careful
driver is unable to foresee what those children
are likely to do next.
There has been too much reckless driving, too
many drunken drivers, too many cars allowed on
the highways which should be in the junk heap
instead. There are too many people driving cars
who are incapable of thinking or acting quickly
in emergency, causing accidents which other
wise would be avoided.
Any campaign to correct these causes of acct
dents will have beneficial results. But campaign
is success unless it considers the other factor,
that of the person who fails to consider the mo-
torist's limit OF responsibility.
In the cities, the school children are taught to
be careful in crossing streets by the school boy
patrols. Away from the school grounds, and out
on the highways children, and adults too, should
be taught that there is limit to the brakng pow
er OF any automobile, however carefully driven,
and that caution should be practiced along the
road we'll as behind the Wheel