The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-11-30
CraUe for Excitement Leads
 To Many Injuries, Deaths

The American peop1e, says It. William c. Dwyer in this weeks article on safety, are a people who seek thrills and excitement. They go out Of their way, he asserts, to witness great sporting events-an for the excitement. But, observes the lieutenant, right here on our highways the American people will discover more excitement than in any great football game, boxing ex- hibition or horserace.
 Lt. Dwyer's article follows:
 More than i2.000 persons sat in on the annual Thanksgiving Day football game at the Waterbury Municipal Stadium, where two local high schools waged . hard fought battle of brain and brawn. The American people love excitement and will go to great length to see some sport that will furnish enough of 1t to raise their blood pressure a few points. Some will go to New York just to see a few minutes run ming Of their favorite nag. place few dollars on him and then hope for the realization of that old famil- jar saying: And the last shall be first"
 Yet pleasure, like trouble. abounds right under our eyes, excitement galore, but 1t goes on almost un- noticed, familiarity breeds contempt. The highways of this country fur nish more exciting and dangerous performances than all the race tracks and gridirons together. No photo-finish on the track was ever more thrilling than that of the pedestrian who made the curb aft CT being brushed by the Nemesis Of the person on foot: the automobile
 The race track fan can see a more exciting start of c race one might say a race for life, by watching the pedestrian who has been caught out in the middle of a street when the traffic light changes. Folks, spend just a few moments at some inter section where q traffic light is in operation, watch the confident look on the face Of the driver. then glance quickly at the expression on the pedestrian. It is one of dejections he is not too sure that he will make the other side of the street.
 The driver Of the automobile. while waiting for the light to to change. steps on the accelerator a few times. a sort of a polite warn ing to the pedestrian to move a little faster. On the other hand. we find pedestrians who insist on being very careless with their num- Der one possession: life itself. Thou sands of people will be thrown into a state Of frenzy at the sight of a quarterback. hemmed in on all side by the opposing players. while look ing for a receiver for his pass; but who can say his position is any more dangerous than the pedestrian who has been stranded in the mid dle of the street, unable to move for fear of being not only thrown for loss. but permanently removed from this earth.
 Some of the end runs. quarter back sneaks, lateral runs and straight through the center plunges made by pedestrians on our high ways. would put some of the grid irons best deceptive plays to'shame. Because this is 6 continuous per formance, there is no season set aside for this battle of the high ways; people take it for granted. and refuse to become alarmed or even excited until it hits home.
 So let us pause a moment for a little reflection on the subject Of Safety, so vital to all. The foolish things we do on the highways for the sake of saving a few seconds is unbelievable. It is easy to see how the other fellow could be guilty of negligence. Let's take look into the mirror of life and really get the low down on ourselves.
 We are all human. afflicted with and by the usual frailties, idioSyn- crasies. aggressions and desire for freedom from the Biblical phrase ''Thou Shalt Not" so deeply incul- cated in us at an early age. So ! Folks, when you marvel at ability i