Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-10-04
DIR. R. H. RILEY
ON THE AIR FOR
MOTOR SAFETY

The following ADDRESS was given Dy
DIR. 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 a 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, depend 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 motor
vehicle law. The charges most fire.
quntly made were: Exceeding the
speed limit; failure to grant the right
of way to vehicles, or-at crossings
to pedestrians; cutting in on the left
when the way ahead was not clear;
failure to keep to the right of the
road; failure to obey traffic signals;
failure to signal when about to stop
or turn to the right or left; danger
Gus and improper parking; improper
headlights; and in cities-'failure to
stop five feet behind a standing
street car discharging or taking on
passengers
1.-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 other words, what
w 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 traf-
fic, instead of facing it; and when the
victims were children playing on the
highways
give hundred and thirty-five 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 pop
ulation of the State was injured in
some way during 1884 in an automo-
bile accident. Furthermore, estimates
based upon figures for the whole coun-
try show that among those who are
injured in this way, one out of every
ten becomes permanently disabled.
"These figures give a very personal
emphasis to the charge of RECKLESS
driving or of speeding or of jay
walking
maryland has record in many re-
.spects, and particularly with regard
to public health, of which it is justly
proud. But the record we now have
of one death in some part of this
State, every sixteen hours from ar
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 large part Of
these tragic deaths and this unneces'
sary suffering. In the face of the ha7
ards involved, Observation-Disclosures or
the part of the driver or pedestrian
also become a vice, with a notorious
record for destructive consequences.
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