The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-14

lieves that the united force of the clergy of the state can do much to eliminate pedestrian accidents.
 All police chiefs of the state have likewise been enlisted in the drive, and, in a letter to them, the Com mission points out:
 Full c Cooperation
 "No campaign of this type can succeed without the full coopera- ton of the police and, consequently, we request the aid of you and your department in furthering the work with all of the educational means available to you.
 we do not ask for special en- forcement of pedestrian laws at this time, knowing that the police will be especially busy in handling the traffic incident to the holiday sea- son and believing that an educa- tional campaign at this time might very well be followed up later with strict enforcement It Is our hope during this canpaignp to inform all pedestrians of what is expected of them"
 Besides the statewide campaign being launched this weekend a number of communities in the state are conducting local campaigns which tie.in with the more enlarged program.
 The State Department of Educa- ton, as its part in the effort, is writing to all school superintendents suggesting that pupils write letters to their parents dealing with some phase of pedestrian safety. By this means it is hoped, commission offi- cials say, to reach many adult pedes- trians as 1t is the older persons who are most frequently involved in accidents while walking on the streets or highways.
 Radio stations in Connecticut have been supplied with transcrip. tions in both English and several foreign languages to be used in the two-week period.
 133 Killed!
 During the first ten months of the year 133 pedestrians were Killed in Connecticut, the Department of Motor Vehicle figures reveal. Of these li3 were adults and fifteen were children.
 A statistical study further dis closes that of the 118 adults killed l08 were not licensed operators of cars which leads many safety ex-l perts to conclude that those uI1- familiar with the operation Of a motor car have no conception oi the speed that 1t travels or the shortness of time required to tra- verse what appears to the pedestri- an to be a relatively long distance. Studies also disclose that 100 of the pedestrian accidents were after dark and that seventy-two individ- uals were killed while crossing streets. Twenty persons were either stepping from behind parked cars or moving traff1c when struck.
 Current figures indicate that so far this year about 7l per cent or the total automobile victims Tn the larger communities of Connecticut were pedestrians.
 Direct Appeal
 This extremely high pedestrian accident percentage, the commission feels, will and must be drastically reduced and it is to that end that Q direct Eublic appeal of the widest possible nature is being made in the hope some real gains will be imme- diately forthcoming.
 Robert I. Catlin, vice chairman Of the highway safety commission, IS chairman of the campaign commit tee which includes Most Reverentt Maurice F. McAuliffe, Bishop of aHrtford: Frank H. Gates Derby; Mrs. Clifford P. Thompson, Walling- ford. and Miss Leila E. Thompson, Hartford; all members of the high way safety commission: Commission ctr Michael A. Connor and William M. Greene of the department of mos tor vehicles; Robert o. Deming and