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Show 1 EDITORIAL Happy holiday? We all look forward to a pleasant Fourth of July weekend. It can be for those who read this editorial carefully and benefit from it. More than 1.7 million Americans have died in automobile accidents since 1906, when the Federal government started keeping automobile accident records. This represents a higher death toll than that of all of the nation's wars. Since 1930, more than 79 million others have been injured by cars. This slaughter and maiming of people on our streets and highways is a blight on mankind and his survival. In 30 years the economic loss from U.S. traffic accidents has reached an astounding $175 billion. Last year the economic loss reached a new high of $14,249,000,000 or an average of approximately $286 for each family in the United States. More than $50 million annually has been invested in-vested by industry to educate the public on traffic safety. However, the real answer is up to each individual. The tremendous loss of life and property must be reversed. The time to start is on this Fourth of July week-end and continue throughout the year. We all know the rules of the road obey them. When we are not in condition to drive don't. We know what seat belts and shoulder harnesses are for then use them. Always drive defensively. Be careful! |