Evening star., 1937-01-10
BY BLAIR MOODY.

write its own accident rate-f an in
tellieent program of enforcement, dove
tailed with modern engineering. Is
supported by the driving force OF
public opinion.
That is the boileddown summary
of what can be done about today's
leading tragedy, death in the streets"
which has been snufflng out lives at
the rate of 100 day.
II Is the path that progressive, trail
blazing cities have proved leads some
where. 1t is the course available to
any city that wishes to follow it.
Practical business executives, as well
as professional experts in safety tech
mic, particularly urge the need for
strong sustained civic support to a
program of enforcement geared to re-
duce deaths.
Perhaps best qualified among them
to speak is Paul G. Hoffman. president
OF the Studebaker Corp. Hoffman is
chairman of the Automobile Manu-
facturers' Associations Safety Com
mittee, which through its manager.
Norman Damon, is pouring into estab-
lished safety organizations thousands
OF dollars to revamp and expand
safety programs handicapped for years
by lack of funds.
Hoffman Long in Campaign.
Hoffman was the first executive In
the automotive industry to start ham,
mering home, years ago, when many
Of his colleagues believed that any one
who mentioned accidents was "antag-
onis ic," the message all now agree
to- hat sooner or later traff1c slaugh-
ter would have to be stopped-and the
sooner the better for every one.
Hoffmans advice, therefore, II 1t
matches his vision, should be good.
Here is what he has to say:
The first thing a city must do to
reduce accidents is knock down de-
featism-the idea that nothing can
be done.
1T Is safe to say any community
can pretty we'll write its own accident
rate, low or high, Just as it can write
its own fire rate by having high
grade fire department.
But it is no flash-in-the-pan job.
1t takes a long balanced pro-
gram. A community without intel
ligent on-pohtical enforcement can
do little. But if the best enforcement
program is to be permanently sue
cessful it must have public support.
That means a persistent, we'll
rounded program Of education-of
keeping constantly before the people
what the elements Of safety are and
what they mean to the city: what
they may mean to any family in the
city where life is saved.
Safety Technique Differs.
Evanston, Providence. Milwaukee,
Syracuse, Louisville. all have such
programs, and all have reduced
deaths. Details OF their technique diff
fer somewhat, but the principles are
the same.
IN South Bend (where Hoffman
Is chairman of civic safety group
formed last year, We had eight traf-
fic deaths in the first five months Of
the year and two in the next five.
Traffic safety must be attained
BY organized and sustained COM
nunity effort, not a lot of speeches
about safety, or spasmodic traffic 'ro-
deos 1t has proved wise in Mil
waukee, South Bend and elsewhere
to form a representative group of in
fiuential men to support or direct the
movement.
Some cities, like New York, have
made excellent records through put
ting one strong man. with authority,
in charge of traffic in the police de-
partment."
The first step in the program. Hoff-
man said, is to move in on the po-
lice department" but the police can't
do complete job unless they have
community support.
"All of the organizations interested
In safety-the parent-teacher as
sociations. women's club, Chambers
of Commerce and other business clubs,
the American Legion-should help to
drive this message home. Some of
them already are interested. All of
them should be.
Opinion Must Be Rallied.
with their support. city can sur
vive the inevitable reaction that occurs
sometime during every real safety
campaign. Effective enforcement starts
to show results, but it makes careless
drivers, who get in accidents and are
prosecuted, mad. Their anger reacts
politically. and pressure is applied to
have enforcement relaxed. That Is
where the force of public opinion must
be rallied to the side of safety.
There are a number of devices
that serve to stimulate interest in
safety on the streets. One of these is
friendly competition such as the inter-
factory contests that have been so ef-
fective in some communities, and
inter-precinct police contests, such as
have been used in New York and De-
troit. When the boss writes an en-
ploye who has been convicted of
moving traffic violation mot parking)
and expresses regret that the em-
ploye has soiled the company's safety
record, the employe will think twice
before he speeds or runs through a
red light again. When the superin-
tendent tells an inspector to go after
accidents in his precinct-patrolmen
move into action-or else.
Intelligent Enforcement Needed.
"The main point is that COM
munity can have, in safety as In poll
tics. just the. sort of record that it
wants-if it wants it badly enough to
stay awake and be determined to
get it.
"A city should have intelligent en-
forcement. 1t should have a trained
trafic engineer. There are myriads
of examples proving that scientific
study Of physical traffic hazards pays.
In Los Angeles, for example, the flow
of traffic on one high-accident street
was quickened so per cent, and the
accidents reduced 30 per cent, by a
simple. common sense program Of
engineering and pedestrian control.
But in any city. safety record
a. - -