Evening star., 1936-08-21
SCIENTIFIC TESTS
TO BOOST SAFETY
A. A. A. Exhibits Dozen De.
vices to Determine Quail
fications of Drivers.

A new attack on the safety prob
lem-by means of scientific tests for
automobile drivers-was inaugurated
last night by the American Automo-
bile Association at q dinner in the
Willard Hotel.
The organization put on public view
for the first time more than a dozen
instruments especially designed to de-
termine whether q prospective driver
is qualified to handle q motor vehicle.
Thomas H. Macdonald, chief of the
Bureau of Public Roads, in commend
ing the associations move, admitted
the testing devices might not be able
to sift out all unsafe drivers. but de-
clared it was . step in the right
direction"
The apparatus affords an oppor-
tunity for motor vehicle authorities to
weigh the capacity Of a prospective
driver to react to various situations
under conditions approximating those
he would find on the highway.
Applicants Reaction Time.
One test, for example. gives an &C.
curate graph of the applicants re-
action time. Seated before three keys
and a dial which records seconds, the
applicant is told to press down one
KEY when q red light flashes, a sec
ond key when q green light flashes
and the third key when a buzzer
sounds. As soon as the key is pressed
the red or green light flashes on or
the buzzer Is silenced. In that man
ner it is possible to measure accu-
rately the number Of seconds required
for the applicant to react to the vari-
Gus signals, which follow each other
in a prearranged cycle.
In another test the prospective
driver is seated in q model drivers
seat, equipped with steering wheel,
clutch and brake pedals. On minia-
ture stage setting in front OF him the
applicant controls by means Of the
steering wheel q miniature car while
a painted roadway on an endless belt
unrolls before him. As the motorist
takes the wheel and drives" the
miniature car instructions flash on a
panel before him and tiny trafic
light flashes signals which must be
observed throughout the test. A rec
ord can thus be made Of how well and
quickly the motorist observes the
rules of the road.
Other apparatus designed to test
the motorists field Of vision, hearing
and blood pressure Is included In the
exhibit, which will be sent on q tour
| ~ Cfo<
ton of aff1liated clubs. A device to
test an applicants excitability Is
another Of the pieces of apparatus
on exhibit. A measure Is made Of
the prospective motorists reactions
to the sudden sounding Of raucous
automobile horn, a changing bell and
| other noise devices, in order to see
would be under emergency conditions.
Tests Not Extensive.
Oficials Of the A. A. A. admit the
! devices have not been given extensive
tests, but believe some relation can
be found between the results Of the
tests and the trafnc accident records.
Thomas P. Henry. Detroit, president
Of the A. A. A., said:
ut Is not enough to legislate. regu-
late and enforce laws. We have
come to recognize that no program
is adequate which does not include
continuing education for the driver
and for pedestrian-for young and
old alike. This apparatus was de-
/ veloy>od IN Uot fy,forro tioy, n, raoo ~
to drivers capabilities, personal fac
tors which may well account for our
record Of safety and our record of
accidents"
Senator Reynolds Of North Caro-
lima, q State director of the A. A. A.,
advocated an appropriation by Con-
gress for promoting safety education.