Evening star., 1940-01-12
Wants Public Aroused
To Traffic Dangers
House Rouds Committee Head
Commends Stor's Series
Of Sofety Articles

To the Editor of The Star:
read with much interest the unusual
study of traffic fatalities in 1899 in the
District of Columbia which appeared in
The Star under the heading why Must
They Die2"
think it is a very fine thing to print
the real facts about what causes them
as you have done
This subject of traffic accidents is one
in which I have been greatly interested
for long time. As you know. have the
honor to be chairman of the Committee
on Roads of the House of Representa-
tives. I have served on that important
committee for nearly IA years and have
given consideration and study to pro-
posed legislation affecting roads during
that time. I am proud to have been the
author and sponsor of legislation making
available more than two billion dollars
which has been expended under the
present national administration to aid
in building better and safer roads.
1t is not unusual therefore, in view Of
the highway accident record, that
should be asked occasionally why our
highways are more dangerous than they
were, say, when I was first elected to
Congress. The answer, of course. is
that they are not. Our highways them
selves, although still in need of much
further improvement were never better
adapted to safe use than they are today.
1t is the way they are used that creates
most of the problem. The difference in
number of highway accidents is mainly
due to the greatly increased use of the
highways. This growth in use is aston
ishing. According to estimates of Of
flcials of the Public Roads Administra-
ton, last year $4,000 900 drivers operated
100000 vehicles more than 200 billion
miles.
So we must expect accidents, but not
nearly SO many as we have And it is
matter OF major national concern that
the number be reduced to the lowest
possible figure
1t is probable that highway conditions
are responsible for only small propor-
ton OF accidents, and it must be realized
that no matter how safe the highways
are made, accidents will continue to
occur, but this does not lessen the neces-
sity for removal of many dangerous
conditions as rapidly as the funds can be
made available.
we should continue with all possible
speed the program of undermining our
highways so they will be adequate for
present-day speeds and volume of traffic.
This includes Strengthening and widen
ing. increasing sight distances. grade
crossing elimination, and construction of
service roads and footpaths for pedes-
trians.
We need uniform and adequate State
motor vehicle traffic laws. The motorist
should not be confronted with different
and many conflicting rules as he travels
from State to State
In most States the highway patrol
force-lf any-is inadequate in numbers
and much too burdened with other duties
to patrol effectively the large mileage of
highways.
Less than half the States have periodic
inspection of motor vehicles, although
experience has shown that such inspec-
tons bring definite Improvement in
the mechanical condition of motor
vehicles in use.
We need a better and more uniform
system OF investigating and reporting
accidents. We need more publicity and
education on correct driving methods.
We need driver training courses in every
high school, We need more specialized
training of traffic officers and engineers.
And most of all we need to modernize
our State and municipal laws and pro-
vide adequate enforcement organizations.
There is no other way to stop the worst
traffic offenders.
All of these things can be done in a
reasonably short time if we can over
come public inertia. The Stars series of
factual articles emphasizing avoidable
traffic dangers in the District of Co.
lumbia, where conditions are probably
typical, should do much to help awaken
the public to the need for concerted
action to reduce traffic accidents to a
minimum
WILBURN CARTWRIGHT,
Chairman, Committee on Roads,
House of Representatives.
January TO-
Suggests That Parents Be Made
E~A-