Evening star., 1940-10-20
Emphasis Placed
On Fundamental
For Traffic Safety
Simplest Of Remedies
Held Most Effective
In Combating Accidents


Nleless, are still fundamentalists in
their views as to why accidents
happen. Accidents are getting to
be fancier by the minute, and more
costly, but the causes are still based
upon the simplest of reasons.
To fight the problem effectively,
more and more individuals and
organizations are coming around
10 the conviction that the trick
Is to harp on the simplest OF
vemedies.
Commentator Boake Carter re-
Gently told of the plight Of northern
motorists speeding south in vain
attempt to flee snow and ice. He
said their accidents on the slippery
roads were the result of lack of
"horse sense" 1t is a sad but true
fact. Furthermore, it is a slgnlf-
icant fact. It means that to try
to curb accidents by complicatlng
the subject with technicalitles is
to fail to face the facts. The
motoring public is still driving
around the kindergarten. in the
opinion of some well-informed stu
dents of the subject. They want
to know what benefit can be expect
ed by complicating matters with
sutomotive calculus.
Where Skill Is Lacking.
II isn't merely in the handling
OF cars that skill is so lacking. The
same lack of understanding Is evl-
dent in the failure of so many
operators to know what goes on
under the hood. In one check-up,
1t was found that surprisingly low
percentage of persons could des-
cribe what function the clutch per-
forms. even though the word itself
suggests that this unit serves to
enable the drive line to the rear to
"clutch" the engine shaft. The
clutch is a coupling device to con-
meet power with the drive shaft.
In one Connecticut high school,
where experiments in youth edu-
cation aWheel were successfully
made under the direction OF the
Safety Education Division OF the
Motor Vehicle Department, empha-
sis was laid on the clutch. Would
be operators were first schooled in
use of the clutch. so they would
sense when the clutch plates first
take hold and how easy it is to
disconnect engine power at any
time merely by pressing the pedal
TO the floor. Until he could sense
the power point" of the clutch. no
applicant was considered qualified
to take the car on the road.
One of the Detroit manufac-
turers is presenting a series Of
articles in the company's magazine
for owners in which the funda-
mentals of the car are outlined in
simple language. The four strokes
Of the engines cycle-suction. COM
preston, power and exhaust-are
explained. That reveals the func-
ton Of the valves and their timing.
It shows how suction helps to
vaporize the fuel in the carburetor
and how this fuel-air combination,
when ignited by the properly timed
spark at the plug. produces power
by pushing down on the piston
which. through a connecting rod,
turns the engine shaft.
Motordom is literally going back
to fundamentals in an effort to aid
thinking when things 60 wrong or
when new problems are to be faced,
Ability to cut the front wheels in
the direction the rear END starts
to slide appears to DE Unborn IN
many drivers. but it can and should
be taught. 1t is fundamental and
simple enough, for it is merely
prompt effort to check a snap-the-
whip effect. One of the most diff
cult things to get across is the fact
that rubber makes poor brake
lining. Millions of drivers still think
that if they lock the wheels the
car is being given maximum braklng
All this does is transfer the braklng
from the brake lining to the tire
treads. It's wasteful, foolish and
dangerous.
A Further Lesson.
ing. the steering wheel of an auto
noble has to be turned quite fe"
times before the front wheels go
from one extreme cut to the other.
This much is pretty we'll recognized,
but just beyond the first grade Is
the further lesson that, in order
to make parking easy, engineers
have increased the reduction ratio
to a point where you have to turn
the wheel further to get sufficient
cut of front wheel to dodge an
object in the road or take a curve.
Engineers call this SLOW" steering.
It is easy" steering. but the kind
that calls for more speed in hand
ling the wheel in an emergency
when the car is rolling along.
It has been in the car many
years. but the differential still isn't
understood, if we may judge by
accidents. The differential permits
power TO 60 to the rear wheel that
Is meeting with least resistance.
Thus. if the right rear wheel is on
q slippery spot, it is apt to spin,
causing the car to sVerve to the
right. where it may sidesWipe car
starting away abreast of it. With
out understanding the purpose of
the differential, it is difficult for
any driver to pull out of mud or
sand.
Observers note that COMPARE
lively few drivers are able to negotl-
ate curves properly. Disposition is
to 60 into a curve too fast, apply
the brakes and nearly upset. The
car should be slowed down to a
safe speed before going into the
curve, and if there is any miscal-
culation it often is safer to speed
up while in the curve rather than
slow down because speed then over
comes centrifugal force which tends
to throw the car of the curve.
Get back to fundamentals for
safety's sake-that is the message
OF the experienced but still most
far-siphted workers for safety Moth