Evening star., 1938-01-13

The chance OF the average driver be-
ing involved in a serious trafiic accident
is remarkably small.
The reason so many persons are killed
and hurt is that there are so many auto
mobiles. And that's one reason there is
so much careless driving-the chances of
getting away with it are so greatly in q
fellows favor.
This little appreciated side of the traffic
problem is emphasized in a report from
R. w. Crum, director of the Highway
Research Board of the National Re-
search Council. He says:
When we drive, all of us-drunk or
sober-think We are good drivers and
none OF us expects to have an accident
The reason for this is understandable.
OF 28,270000 motor vehicles, about 49,
47O. or rf1fteen-hundredths of l per cent,
were involved in 1880 fatalities in 1896.
and proportionately there were probably
about 400, 900 vehicles involved in the
1000 900 personal injuries in trafic acci-
dents. The chance of my car or yours
being in one of these accidents is slight
II the average vehicle is driven 10000
miles per year, there are approximately
283 ,000, 100000 vehicle miles Travelled, or
2O2, ,l43 for every vehicle involved in a
personal---very. accident.
This means, If you drive your car
loOOO miles per year, your chance, II
you are an average driver, is one serious
accident in 20.2 years. The plain mathe-
matics of the situation is that no driver
either consciously or subconsciously ex-
poets to have an accident now, but the
possibility OF one personal injury acci-
dent IN lifetime Is something to be con-
cerned about"
Still there were almost 5000 persons
killed in the United States in 1886, the
year from which Mr.. Crum takes his sta
tlstics. What Is to be done about It?
No single thing holds forth much hope
OF relief. Mr.. Crum holds With increas-
Ing numbers of automobiles there prob
ably will be more accidents, although
the average can be cut down much lower
than it is by attacks from various sectors
Actually, the extremely low accident
rate for the average driver is little hiph
It would be reduced slightly If there
could be eliminated relatively small
group of "accident-prone" persons who
don't seem to be able to acquire skill in
driving, are temperamentally united for
It, or who have certain physical dis
abilities. Highway Research Board
studies, he reports, have shown that this
group can be detected, but onlv after
they have been responsible for a fair
number OF serious accidents. Tests de-
vised by the board show them up to a
certain extent. Various factors compli-
cate the situation, however, and it would
be unfair at present to deny ANYBODY a
driving permit on the basis of these tests
They should, Mr.. Crum says, serve as =
warning to the individual.
Recent studies Of DR.. H. M. johnson
psychologist of the Highway Research
Board. show that drivers between to
ages OF 18 and %, inclusive. kill about
twice as many persons in proportion tn
their numbers, as do those of ali other
ages. Here again there is very little to
pe done about 1t. It constitutes a stern
warning to young drivers to be careful.
One very significant point Of attach
Is brought out by Mr.. Crum. IT night
driving could be made as safe as DAYTIME
driving" he says, highway accidents
would be reduced by one-third and Al.
most half OF the lives lost would =.
saved. Approximately half of all acc;.
dents occur at night when traf,ic :.
much less than in the daytime. Dav.
light traffic must be four times AZ dens.
as that at night In order to make trave,
by day as hazardous as by night. Here
is a point of attack which warrants al
most any expenditure OF time and
money" ~
But again the question arises Of what
% 40 ABOUT It, obviossly the differences