The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-10-06

accidents cost us $1,7OO, 100000 last
year.
These are the highest figures ever
reached. The death toll is four-ffths
as great as American losses in the
World war. 1t is equivalent to the
destruction of city like Waltham,
Mass, or Santa Monica, Calf.
The money wasted in 1887 traffic
accidents would have built 35 En-
pire State buildings, or $50 ocean
liners like the Normandie.
More and more cities and states,
however, are keeping good accident
records and thus learning more
about how and why accidents occur.
But the traffic problem still is a
challenge. The council has proved
that accidents can be reduced wher-
ever state or community is willing
to apply a well-rounded, scientific
program. And for the first eight
and one-half months of 1888 the ma
ton as whole has experienced
20 per cent reduction in traffic
deaths below the same months for
the preceding year, without any de-
crease in travel as measured by
gasoline consumption.
That this reduction is but a small
part of what might have been
achieved had we been able to apply
what we have even thus far learned
about traffic accidents, is shown by
the experience of cities and states
which have, through the application
of balanced programs, effected saw
ings of upwards of so per cent in
their traffic fatalities within the
short space of year. Thus the lag
between what we know about acct
dents and what we are doing about
them is costing us something like
$4,000 lives this year.
Therefore, one of the principal
problems facing the delegates as
they look into the future will be get
ting across to the public information
already developed about traffic ac-
cidents, and enlisting the public,
more than ever before in the war
against accidents.
But research - statistical, engi-
neering and psychological-into the
cause and cure of accidents must go
forward. New developments, like
the chemical tests to show when
drivers have been drinking, better
cars and safer highways, scientific
methods of eliminating night haz-
ards, will be one phase of the at
tack. Another will be a continual
ton of the campaign for uniform
traffic laws, including standard driv.
ers' license laws, accident report
ing, road rules, signs and signals;
for regular inspection of all motor
vehicles; and for more safety train
ing in schools, with driving instruc-
tons for every high school student.
In home accidents, safety workers
face problem similar to that in
volved in agriculture. The fact that
most home accidents do not come to
official notice unless hospitalized
makes it difficult to collect accurate
data. And like the farmer, the
1lOuSGWllS ID lSOldtGu III Il6T mousse
hold and cannot easily be reached
by broadcast methods of safety edu-
cation. But in recent years, through
women's clubs, through home mag.
azines, women's pages in newspa.
pers and housekeeping broadcasts
an increasing attempt has beer
made to familiarize housewives with
the principal hazards of their owr
homes. Looking into the future, the
delegates must plan how to intensity
this campaign, and how to carry the
safety idea to contractors and ar.
chitects so that homes of the future
will be built with safety in mind
Does it sound like a Herculear
task? Perhaps it is, but to men and
women who have been responsible
for an almost continuous drop in &C.
cidents in the face of Americas
tremendous growth during the past
quarter century, the accomplish.
ments of the past stand as chal
lenge for the future.
g Western Newspaper Union.