Salt Lake Telegram | 1939-08-26 | Page 9 | Safety Board Raps Failure to Report Crashes

Board Reps Failure to th Report Crashes rashes C STATE ST ATE TRAFFIC CONTROL FLAWS CITED BY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN MOVE M TO REDUCE DEATH DEA TOLL First Quarterly Meeting Considers Methods Methods of Che Checking king Increasing Number of Highway r Fatalities in Utah County I v 1 The The executive eC committee of the new Utah State Safety c cd council n i Saturday had lost no time in attacking a gl glaring ring weakness weakness' in n the h states state's traffic control picture picture failure failure t to report highway a accidents I to o proper authorities V At its Us first quarterly meeting at attie at the tie capitol Friday afternoon th the committee ommittee set out out to to correct this situation and took nce of another nother major traffic problem inthe in inthe the he state state state-an an increasing toll tollof of of of traffic raffle deaths in Utah county The committee offered no specific program for the latt latter r hem lem em but noted that the state road commIssion and the Utah county sheriffs sheriff's office already have moved to o improve traffic conditions conditions' there and nd commended both agencies for foI their heir efforts Many Not Reported Committee members heard a are report re re- port port ort from the state tax commission commission commis- commis sion ion that only about third one of reportable able accidents are reported to o the commission State law re requIres requires requires re- re quires reporting of all accidents inv involving injury or death or property property prop prop- erty damage of 50 or more more Persons involved In such uch accidents accidents acci- acci dents are required to report them themo to o local authorities within 24 hours hours' and the authorities in turn must report them to the commission within 10 days Information on accidents is held vital ital to any successful program for or traffic safety inasmuch as those hose guiding the efforts must know enow where accidents occur occur their type ype and other details The commission indicated the the fault ault lies with individuals and with who are lax in making reports To School Public lublic A first step of the executive committee will vili be to educate the public to the need for complying with the law and seek the compliance compliance compliance ance of local authorities Basing estimates on accident experience ex experience experience ex- ex ex- ex it was estimated there there were vere in excess of reportable l accidents in Utah the first half of f 1939 while only 1559 were ed to to the commission v 4 Other a actions by the executive committee were were J i. 1 request A-request for forthe foI the te teo o od d f committee e a group group of t. t s state t officials who wh laid groundwork for forthe forthe the he new council to issue a primer showing howing what is expected of mobile drivers 2 Decision to ask schools p par par par- r- r teacher ent associations press and ana radio to cooperate in warning motorists mo- mo that they must exe exercise cis' cis caution caution- with re reopening pening of of schools schools' next month C Urge Intensification 3 Decision to urge au all safety organizations to continue and Intensify intensify in- in their work with aid of the state council always available 4 A commendation for Justice of the he Peace Arthur B. B Bringhurst for calling a meeting for next Thursday to discuss uniform administration administration administration ad ad- ministration of traffic laws lawr 5 Decision to ask the road commission commission com corn mission to request state highway patr patrolmen to report all danger spots on highways particularly defacement defacement de do- an anft obliteration of signs Julian M M. Bamberger council president presided at t the s session