| Show i. i But Its It's No Guara Guarantee tee of Immunity UTAH has been s selected as 1943 traffic safety champion champi n of the the nation nation by the National Safety council It is an achieve achieve- a achievement ment of which this state a r relatively new contender in the field of traffic safety work with only about five years of intensive effort behind it can be bc extremely proud I L It is is important to emphasize that the awarding of of the grand grand' prize to Utah is not based solely or even chiefly upon our U traffic fatality record Success in reducing fatalities represents represents represents rep rep- resents only 20 points out ut of a possible which would mark marka a perfect traffic safety record The award is also based on successful suet suc successful sue sue- t t enforcement of traffic laws good engineering practices a well directed program of public and school education and on j cooperation ration with wartime traffic and conservation programs I It should be noted also that the award although given to toI I the state of Utah covers traffic safety efforts throughout the state tate carried on by all units of government and public groups i int interested rested in reducing acc accidents de ts and death on the highways Although the various agencies of the state government interested In traffic control and safety especially the Utah Safety council deserve special credit for this honor congratulations are due also to cities counties towns schools service clubs and civic pr- pr organizations organizations or or- which helped to further the traffic safety idea In in Utah Utah's record on fatality reductions last year was ing We had traffic deaths compared to the year before before before be be- fore which is a 30 per cent cut This is doubly remarkable in view of the fact that Utah was the only state in the nation to have an increase in in automobile registrations last year Our Ourt t total tal registrations actually went up 16 per cent and tot total l mileage driven in the state despite gasoline rationing was only 7 per percent cent less Thus in the face of a 16 per cent increase in vehicles I and only a 7 per cent drop in mileage we achieved d a 30 per percent cent reduction in fatalities which fatalities which simply means Utah motorists drove more carefully and safely i We cannot however rest on our past laurels warns 1 Rulon Bennion executive director for the state safety council We have been slipping on traffic safety so far this y year ar if fatalities fatalities fa fa- s are any indication Mr Bennion says it is due to increased increased increased in in- creased speed and a general letdown due to an attitude of r complacency over the fine 1943 record It is up to motorists motorists officials and the public generally to remember that traffic safety is is not just a program to win win grand prize awards but to save lives and prevent accidents We WeI I 1 cant can't win a championship and then go off on a careless car motoring t t. spree Traffic safety is a out day ut and year and t year-out year matter matter and and any relaxation of e effort fort will im immediately bring an increase of tragedy on the highways Its Its It's wonderful to have that grand gradd prize prize but but we we m must st remember remember remember re re- re- re member it is an honor for past performance only and that it 4 d does es not provide any immunity for the future |
