Evening star., 1936-10-02
AUTO DEATH CUT
|NMEMPH|SC CITED
Compulsory Car Examina.
ton Saved 8 Lives Last
Year, ParIey Hears.

Compulsory examination of auto
mobiles was a big factor in reducing
the death rate in Memphis, Tenn, IS
per cent last year as compared to
1884, Clifford Davis, fire and police
commissioner of that city, told the
accident prevention conference in
session at the Commerce Department
Building today.
At the same session DR.. L. B. Corbett,
director of public safety of Milwaukee,
noted for its low traffic accident and
death rate, declared speeding would
never be eliminated and could be
combated only by increasing the
width of the roads and streets and
education and strict examination OF
drivers.
More than so representatives from
all parts of the country are attending
the conference, which Is promoting
uniform traffic regulations in all
States in the interests of safety.
Davis explained that Memphis was
the first city in the State to adopt a
law for compulsory examination of
automobiles and that, as a result. in
surance rates are now the lowest in
Tennessee
Eight Lives Saved.
The examinations were carried on
in garages owned by the city and by
city employees three times a year and
reduced the total number of acci-
dents II per cent and fatalities Is per
cent, which meant saving Of eight
lives, Davis said. The motorist is
charged 81 for each examination.
C. A. McShane, equipment engineer
of the Pennsylvania Division of Safety,
explained the system of compulsory
examinations for automobiles in that
State, where the examinations are
made in private garages approved by
the State. Accidents have BEEN re-
duced substantially, he said.
In a round table discussion on speed.
DR.. Corbett emphasized education and
engineering to combat speeding in
preference to reliance on regulations.
We're always going to have speed,
and in the future will have more, not
less,'' he asserted. THE trouble is we
have S0-mile- an-hour cars, 40-mile-
an-hour roads and 20-mile-an-hou
drivers.
Control Declared Remedy.
"The remedy for this situation is not
to prohibit speed, so much as to con-
troll it. Despite all the charges brought
against it, speed has its advantages in
the proper place. Even If 1t didn't,
you'd have to change human nature
to prevent a driver from wanting to
get some place in a hurry.
I'VE can do great deal by edu-
eating the driver as to when and how
speed should be used. We can enact
laws to compel examination of drivers,
to be sure they are mentally able and
physically fit to drive car. This Is
now done with bus and truck drivers,
and there is no reason why it should
not be done with those who operate
private cars.
Another way to combat the effect
of speed is by engineering. Much has
been done along this line already, by
building roads with fewer curves and
grading those, so they're safe at high
speeds. Now, to reduce congestion, we
can widen our roads to make speed
safer. As for eliminating it alto
gether, don't believe it can be done"
The conference, over which Repre-
sentative O'Neal Of Kentucky is pre-
siding, will adjourn this afternoon.
Representatives from most of the II
States which do not have driver license
laws reported their expectation that
such laws would be placed on the stat
ute books next year.