OCR Text |
Show A Desirable Step THE CALL by County Attorney Harold E. Wallace for doctors and nurses at the Salt Lake General hospital to be alert to gather from patients involved in traffic accidents fullest information in-formation possible is a desirable step. Observation Observa-tion as to sobriety or drunkenness is of special Importance. So is the noting of mental or physical physi-cal impairments which should deny certain individuals in-dividuals the right to drive. Except in cases which present the likelihood of danger to life or of delaying recovery, this information should be gathered with the least delay. Apart from making nurses and doctors potential witnesses for either prosecution or defense, de-fense, the county law officers may receive valuable val-uable facts for guidance in respect of preparing prosecutions or decision not to go to court In either event, time and costs are conserved and the enforcement of law is strengthened. Evidence Evi-dence offered by the hospital personnel would be specially credible because of the disinterestedness disinterested-ness of the witnesses and presumed competency. This is new aid in meeting the challenge of irresponsible drivers on the highway and a further step in the cooperation of all public agencies agen-cies for removing accident hazards. Adapting the principle involved to municipal agencies, especially in the police department and the emergency emer-gency hospital, the mayor, as, head of the "department "de-partment of public safety, and other commis- . sioners will do well to consider the merits of the innovation as a means of furthering safety programs pro-grams already being followed. |