Evening star., 1938-01-02
By G.. adams HOward.
w Y1TH every one interested in
doing everything possible to

every OIlC ulpClCStCu
\A/ doing everything possible to
w cut down the yearly rising
fatality toll, &c seems proper
to give credit where due, without the
suggestion Of Interior lnotives--or, as
one might put it, commercial reasons.
The time has come when, for the sake
Of preventing traffic deaths, any at
tendant publicity should be overlooked.
The efforts of many insurance COM
panies have been mentioned before in
these columns and other worthwhile
organizations who with sincerity have
tried to aid their fellow-man. There
fore 1t appears fitting that the report
Of the General Electric Co.'S illumi-
mating laboratory should be studied in
fairness to their work.
With the increase in automotive
traf1c on our arterial streets and high
ways has come an abnormal increase
in the number of night accidents and
fatalities. In many localities records
show that night fatality rates are
to 10 times higher than the day fatal
ity rates for the same stretch of road
or street. The need for remedying
this situation has become so apparent
that both public and official attention
is being directed more than ever be-
fore toward decreasing the ever-grow-
ing number of night accidents.
Difference in visibility between night
and day is obviously one of the most
outstanding reasons for the greater
number of fatalities occurring at night.
Every investigation of the highway
accident problem points out the need
for more adequate lighting, particu-
larly on the arterial streets and high
ways that carry the majority of traffic,
and where the greater number of acci-
dents occur. Some idea of the grow
ing realization of the need for more
adequate lighting may be gained from
the following steps that were taken
during the year 1887.
Early in January the American Road
Builders Association heard its first
report from newly organized COM
mittee which had been set up to study
highway illumination problems. A re-
port made in February to Secretary
Of Commerce Roper, by subcommit-
tee of the Accident Prevention Con-
ference, stressed inadequate lighting
and speed as outstanding causes of a
large majority Of rural accidents. Leg
tSlators in Indiana passed laws in
March that authorized the State High
way Commission to light dangerous
curves, intersections, bridges and rail-
road crossings on the States highway
system. In April, Gov. Lehman of
New York signed a bill enabling the
public works commissioner to light
any State highway when he believes
1t to be advisable.
Night accidents have been decreased
IS per cent over year period along
the Path of Gold Lights" a coined
phrase for sodium safety lighting on
st. Paul boulevard in Rochester, N. Y.
More than hundred units, employ
ing airplane-type rehectors and tubu-
lar sodium lamps mounted horizontal
ly. provide golden-orange illumination
along miles of the heavy-trafic ar
terry connecting Rochester and Lake
OAAtoAAO' DSSCAOPCO w SOIlIUoC AllSAlS-
driving hazards, the lights are being
maintained by the Rochester Gas &
Electric Corp. for Monroe County.
Trafhc accident records one year be-
fore permanent safety lighting show
IL night accidents Zone was a fatal
accidenO and 8 day accidents. Sta
tistics one year after safety lighting
show but night accidents (none
fataD and day accidents. This rep
resents 81 per cent decrease in night
accidents and Is per cent decrease
In day accidents. Assuming the fac
tors which decreased day accidents Is
per cent also had the same effect on
night accidents, this leaves IS per cent
Is the decrease due to proper lighting
New Jerseys Deputy Inspector
George Ziegler of the State Motor We
hicle Department announced yester-
day, while speaking at meeting of the
Independent bus operators section of
the Hudson County Safety Council,
that night speed limit of 40 miles an
hour will soon be inforced in that
State.
Mr.. Ziegler said that the fact that
headlights do not afford adequate
visibility at higher speeds is proved
BY statistics. Night trafic, though
only IS per cent as heavy as during