Evening star., 1937-01-24

the National Capital dimmed by lack.
Of necessary appropriations. and also
on the Mount Vernon Memorial Boule-
ward, where all lights were eliminated
as an economy measure.
The American Automobile Associa-
tion, while realizing the Importance OF
adequate lighting, cites the cost OF
wholesale illumination and calls for
program of study and experimentation
rather than projects based on pres
sure and propaganda.
The American Road Builders ASso-
citation at a recent session also took
the matter up and urged a trial in
stallation of modern lighting systems
along dangerous spots and stretches OF
main highways.
Declaring that wholesale illumina-
ton of 100000 miles of highway would
cost ST 300 100000 in 10-year period,
the American Automobile Association
today demanded that road lighting
projects be individually determined on
the basis of study and experimental
ton rather than on the basis OF pres
sure and propaganda.
"This is not a struggle between
the forces of light and the forces OF
darkness" declared Thomas P. Henry,
president of the national motoring
body. 1T is matter of proceeding
with care, caution and due regard
for all the factors involved. Lightning
certain stretches of road where the
need has been proven is one thlng'
spending a billion or more dollars on
the basis of inadequate knowledge and
hysteria-producing prope ganda Is an
entirely different matter.
ga given stretch of road should be
lighted only when it is dehnltely
proved that illumination will prevent
night accidents which could not be
prevented by other less costly methods:
Illumination is not the only way OF
making the highways safer; there are
other effective means that save nVeS
both by night and by day and which
do not have such high cost OF up
keep. I refer, of course, to such fea-
lures as dual-lane, divided highways;
separation of opposing traffic lanes
at intersections; proper warning slgnS'
and so on.
Because the cost of operating the
illumination system eventually far ex-
ceeds the cost of installation, whole
sale road lighting would constitute an
annual charge of serious proportions
upon motor transport. 1t would IN
evitably mean either an increase IN
already eXorbitant motor taxes OF
reduction in the amount Of money
available for other greatly needed
highway improvements.
"One further word of caution IS
essential. Experiments are not being
made concerning the application OF
new principles to headlight Illumlna-
tion. which, if successful and uni
yersally adopted, would be effective
on all highways and not merely on
the small percentage which could be
provided with highway lighting in the
wears Just ahead. Such non-glare
headlights would do much toward
nhviating the need for highway light
ing and might cause the scrappng OF
expensive highway lighting equipment
prematurely installed.
"Our position in this matter Is
clearly set forth in resolution adopt
I'd at the recent A. A. A. convention
at Detroit. This resolution declares:
1.-The American Automobile AS
sociation recommends impartial re-
search of highway lighting as means
of preventing night accidents. 1t
suggests that, pending the nnolngs
from such research programs, liium-
tnation of extensive mileage OF high
ways be postponed.
"The close relationship which has
proved to exist between light and ac-
eidents should be reason enough for
most of us for the trial installation OF
modern lighting systems along danger
GUS spots and stretches of our main
highways" Michael A. Connor, COM
missioner of motor vehicles for Con-
necticut, told the American Road
Builders Association in his report as
head of its Highway Lighting Com
nittee, at its recent convention in New
Orleans.
He declared that all in attendance
knew of some danger spots or stretches
along main highways leading INTO
their cities where night accidents
occur regularly, and pointed to these
as ideal places where you should
give lighting a chance to prove its
worth. These are the spots where
you should arrange for or support
steps leading toward trial or pernla-
nent installations providing long
range visibility without dangerous
glare" the commissioner said.
"As so aptly stated recently by a
brother commissioner of mine, Charles
A. Harnett of New York, the one black
mark which seems to continue to re-
sist the efforts of all those interested in
highway safety is the death and acci-
dent rate on our rural State highways.
The preponderance of these accidents
and fatalities are occurring at night.
Motor vehicle commissioners and
others interested in safety who have
compiled the record of accidents have
been aware of this fact for number
of years, and have expressed them
selves forcibly from time to time upon
this condition.
Lack of funds and a lack OF in
serest on the part of the general public
have, of course, prevailed against any
great steps being taken to illuminate
the highways, thereby making an ap-
preciable decrease in the accidents
during the night hours. During the
past year, however, we can see
great improvement in the publicity
in the newspapers, not only by sub
scribers, but also by the editors, call
Ing for studies of our highways with
.;.,o xry1,ar-