Salt Lake Telegram | 1940-09-16 | Page 11 | Pedestrian Deaths Rise; Expert's Counsel Cited

TRAFFIC REVIEW REVIEW- 1 Pedestrian n Deaths Rise i 1 Experts Expert's Counsel Cited By BOB HALE A successful attack upon the pedestrian accident problem can do more toward improving Salt Lake City's traffic record through the years than an attack on any other group of accident 4 causes The quotation is from the report report report re re- re- re port of Rufus Rufus Rufus' G G. Jasper National Safety council traffic engineer who w o made a traffic survey survey in Salt Lake City early in in 1939 and apparently it holds true even more now than it did a year ago As The As-The The Telegram pointed out Saturday In Its curr current nt s series ries of traffic reviews s pedestrian deaths have accounted for 12 of the city's 20 traffic fatalities this year Strangely the pedestrian problem problem lem em has has' received particular attention attention attention atten atten- tion this year In education enforcement enforcement enforcement en en- and engineering But yet the efforts apparently have hav not succeeded in making the pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian trian more careful or impressing upon motorists the need for special precautions in guarding against pedestrian ac accidents Driver Must Help Hell Mr Jasper held that pedestrian accident prevention Involves efforts efforts ef- ef forts directed at the motorist just justas as much as s at the the foot traveler In all cities Mr Jasper wrote a great deal of emphasis has been placed upon the responsibility of oc the driver to protect the trian He Hee has a vehicle capable of inflicting injury or death to the person on foot However while the general trend in collisions between motor vehicles vehicles' has been substantially downward the accidents Involving pedestrians have not in general experienced that favorable trend It is is' obvious obvious- then that the normal normal nor nor- mal precautions of drivers with re respect respect respect re- re to pedestrians have not been nearly as effective as those with respect to vehicular traffic There must be no relaxation in lq inthe the safe safeguarding of pedestrians by drivers However th there re must be bea a gr greater ter acceptance of the pedestrians pedestrian's pedestrians pedestrian's trian's Irian's part in his own safety i if success is to be accomplished in the reduction of pedestrian accidents as as- asit it has been in the reduction o of collisions between motor vehicles vehicle in most urban areas Mr Jasper offered some specific remedies There must be a reduction Inthe Inthe in inthe the promiscuous use of streets by persons pe on on foot and a greater concentration concentration concentration con con- of pedestrian crossings crossing at p points i ts where they are ex ex- petted A new ordinance adopted early this year was aimed In n this direction It restricts pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pe pe- pe- pe crossing of street to in intersections intersections intersections in- in and k But i it itis itis is difficult to enforce save in th the business district N Next e t More on pedestrians