Evening star., 1936-10-04

diverted than is spent on roads in
England. Furthermore, American
automotive taxes are about two and
one-half times as costly as those in
England, the total exceeding $1,000
100000 annually, as compared with
about $400, 100000. Diversions here
are estimated at above $l5o,o0o, 900
annually.
Warning that night accidents are
on the increase, the Keystone Auto
mobile Club calls attention OF motor
lists and pedestrians to definite safe
guards essential under present traffic
conditions.
On the basis of competent research
findings it is declared that the driver
of an automobile receiving in his
eyes the full force of improperly To-
cused headlights is literally blinded
for fully one second, and in that
fractional period of time his car cov-
ers about so feet when driven at q
speed of approximately 40 miles per
hour.
This blind period" said William
S. Canning, engineering director Of
the club, lis responsible for many
accidents, but the average motorist
apparently fails to realize it's seri-
BUSINESS and consequently fails to ad-
just his driving speed to meet the
conditions of night driving. Much
the same fault applies to the pedes-
trian. Because the lights of a car
illuminate the road about him he
assumes the driver sees him, but un-
fortunately for many the blind period
lntervenes with the approach of an
other car, and the pedestrian is
struck before he has a chance to
step of the roadway"
Canning explains that pedestrian
is in grave danger If he is within 200
feet of a vehicle moving at the legal
maximum speed at the time the
driver is temporarily blinded.
"At exactly 40 m. p. H." he said, "a
motor vehicle travels SO feet per
second. The average braking dis
tance at this speed is 109 feet. To
this must be added the average re
action distance Of As feet, making
the average stopping distance 154
feet.
With headlight blindness as q
factor, the stopping distance is ap-
preciably increased, depending on the
individuals ability to recover from
the binding glare. Assuming that il
requires full second for this recov-
cry, another SO feet must be added
to the stopping distance, making the
total 213 feet
Production of automobiles and truck.
in the United States and Canads
dropped to the lowest point this veal
during the current week, largely due
to the hating of 1886 production by
the Ford Motor Co. The output this
week is likely to total not more thar
1920 units against 1868 in the week
ended September 26.
While many plants actually have
started production of 1887 lines the
rate of output is not sufficiently large
at the present time to be given serious
consideration. 1t is generally felt
however, the tempo will be speedeo
shortly after October /, and that pro-
duction during the closing quarter OF
1886 will be at peak rate.
Reports from the field indicate that
sales have held up strong during Sep
tember, and that dealers have expert
enced no serious trouble in cleaning
up their stock of 1886 models. The
used car situation also shows improve
ment with the increase in stocks over
last year being Offset by a greately re-
latiVe increase in used car sales. In
many sections the prices now being re-
ceived for used cars are well above the
last year mark and some increases
were noted in August over July. With
shelves cleared of 1886 models, inven-
tories of used cars we'll under control
and new model requirements likely to
be met promptly. dealers are looking
for a most satisfactory sales beriod
during the next three months.
August sales of new passenger cars
with a total of 1929 were down con-
siderably from July, but 1243 per cent
higher than August, 1885. This
brought the total passenger car regis
trations in the United States to 2,473,-
48l units for the first eight months of
this year, gain of "a per cent over
the 1,980,965 registered in the same
period a year ago. Commercial car
registrations during August totaled So
222 units, which was by far the best
record for this month in the history
of the industry. topping the August
1929, total, of 52,577 by almost 1000
units.