Evening star., 1935-07-28
Stopping Traffic Slaughter
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to improve further the headlights on
automobiles, in order that dark objects
may be more visible at night. Another
answer to this problem Is that drivers
should slow down after sundown and
drive at much more moderate speeds
at night than during the day.
I have discussed the automotive
engineer and the highway engineer.
Let us now devote our attention to the
human element, for, after all, we may
have the best automobiles in the world
and the best roads over which to
operate, and even then we will con-
tinue to have accidents unless we have
good, careful, considerate drivers.
Permits Cut Accidents.
A statement was made above that
18 States have drivers license laws,
where the permit is secured after
examination. and that those States
which have such laws had a smaller
increase in traffic accidents last year
than the States which had no such
laws. 1t was also stated that millions
of operators were blanketed in as
drivers, who did not take an examin-
alton on the laws and regulations.
Some of these drivers, of course,
knew the regulations, but it would be
a mere coincidence if all of them were
well versed in these mattGs.
The automobiles and the building
practically eliminated city, county and
State lines. The driver with a good
automobile may now pass through a
half dozen States and score If cities
during a single day, but up to a few
years ago he would run into as many
different kinds of traffic regulations
and laws.
An effort has been made by the
National Conference on Street and
Highway Safety, sponsored by the
Department of Commerce under the
direction of Secretary Roper, to bring
about the adoption of uniform laws
and regulations throughout the entire
United States.
Meeting Held Here.
A meeting of this conference was
held in Washington in May, 1884, in
which 500 delegates, representing
highway departments, motor vehicle
departments, city and county govern
ments and others interested in the
construction, maintenance and oper-
alton of highways participated. These
conferences have now been held peri
odically for over 10 years, and model
codes have now been adopted, includ-
ing the uniform law for the regulation
of traffic, the uniform city ordinance,
a registration law and an anti-theft,
or title, law, standard code of prac-
tices for signs and signals and uni
form drivers license law. These model
laws and ordinances have now been
widely adopted by about 80 States and
a large number of cities and towns.
Last year there were approximately
So, 900 traffic fatalities in the United
States and there were nearly million
personal injury accidents.
1lcIe McIc 1,IOo,oUU FelllClcS III
volved in accidents, of which A ,46O
were involved in fatal accidents and
1928 $40 in non-fatal accidents result
ing in millions of dollars worth Of
property damage.
In addition to this there were thou
sands of accidents which occur each
day which are not reported to the
police. One reason for this is that
| when two cars are involved in an
accident, one of the operators may
admit his responsibility and express
his willingness to pay the damage, in
which event the accident is never re-
ported. Better conditions would, no
doubt, exist if all accidents were re-
ported. In that way the authorities
would know who were at fault in all
of these accidents, and would be able
to govern their actions accordingly
with reference to the issuance, revo-
cation and suspension of drivers per-
mits.
Education Results Not Quick.
From time to time educational cam
paigns have been conducted in diff
ferent cities with varying results. I
would not say that an educational
campaign is not necessary because
some of them have a long-range ef-
feet, and while the results may not
be apparent at the time, they may
have some influence in the future.
Generally they do not show imme-
diate results.
It seems that one of our greatest
problems is to weed out the reckless