Evening star., 1936-06-14

init that different individuals can
absorb varying quantities of alcohol
without impairment of their faculties.
1T is impossible to determine exact
ly how great a factor the drinking
driver has become in the accident Sit
uation. There are no statistics avail
able for study
There is a practical reason for this.
An enforcement officer must have an
alright case of intoxication to prove
when he appears in court with a de-
fendant. Sometimes, when there can
be no question of the fact at the
scene of a crash the officer finds
dearth of witnesses to summon on the
day of trial and the appearance of a
reasonable, sober defendant before the
bench creates an obstacle difficult to
Surmount.
Naturally every officer wants a
conviction whenever he takes a de-
fendant to court. 1t is much simpler
to charge reckless driving and prove
the point, than to attempt to prove
partial intoXication. In some courts
partial intoXication is not recognized.
Thus, almost all cases of partial in
toxication appear as reckless-driver
cases.
Passengers in Car with a driver
who has been drinking are not en-
titled to much sympathy if they are
! injured as a result of their hosts
inability to drive. A person who
agrees to ride with such motorist
takes his own chances and should
weep his or her own tears.
In any discussion of the accident
situation with enforcement officials,
the subject of drinking drivers as
sumes immediate prominence. How
ever, 1t is next to impossible to OBJ
tain adequate statistics to show the
exact degree of danger created by
such persons.
1T is an established fact that from
IS to 80 per cent of all motorists are
careful and reasonable in the opera
tion of their cars. The remaining
| 10 or Is per cent of accident-prone
drivers could be substantially reduced
if those who drink and drive could be
eliminated from the streets and high
| ways.
The driver who takes a drink or
two should have it on his or her mind
to drive slowly and to exercise more
than ordinary care.
Evidence that the Nations wide
spread campaign against the lawless
driver is getting results is apparent
in the motor vehicle fatality record
for the first five months of this year.
/ according to the Travellers Insurance
| Co., but an analysis of the figures
points to the need for renewed efforts
to curb the lawless pedestrian.
| An actual saving of about 900 lives
is already indicated this year with
the fatality total to June l estimated
at 11,750 as compared with 12,765 for
the same period in 1885. This de-
crease, amounting to per cent, is
the most encouraging sign for any
period since traffic accidents rose to
their present high levels.
Highlights in the analysis Of the
fatality record include:
l. OF the 11,750 persons killed, ap-
proximately $3.50 have been pedes-
trians. While this is decided de-
crease numerically from the 6,940
pedestrian deaths during the first five
months of last year. the ratio of Pc
destrian victims to the total has in
creased noticeably.
2. Five months records indicate a
Is per cent decrease in drunken driv-
ers involved in fatal accidents this
year from the same period of 1885, but
a per cent increase in deaths of Pc
destrians under the influence of liquor.
8. Less than 4 per cent of drivers
killed were under the influence of
liquor, but almost 10 per cent Of Pc
destrians killed were intoxicated.
The 8 per cent drop in deaths so
far this year is especially worthy of
note because it was accomplished in
the face of an increase in January.
Declines in February, March, April
and May had to be considerably
greater than per cent to offset the
January rise. The March record, a
decrease of 16 per cent from the same
month a year ago, was the greatest
monthly decline from a previous year
on record except for single month
in a depression year.
Past records sve shown that the
automobile death trend could be ex-
pected to parallel the amount OF
travel, but the present reduction in
fatalities was not accompanied by any
decrease in mileage driven but rather
by a gain. Accurate figures on gas
oline consumption are not yet avail
able, but incomplete reports point to
NJ ;porooea ~ about q mar rent