Show TIME IE FOR l REASON EASON r Editors Editor's Note This is the first of a series of safety editorials sponsored by the Utah State Slate Press Association At first glance the statement by safety authorities that speed speed is the Number 1 cause of highway high deaths and injuries has a far away sound of no I particular immediate immediate im im- im mediate significance The picture of an America gone one speed-crazy speed has been exaggerated by alarmists ever since the flapper days clays following World War Val I and a good many people will find it hard to believe that our highways are a teeming chaos chaos' of careening speed As As' Asa a matter mattero i o fact most of us in the course of a days day's driving have encountered one or two insanely reckless speeders seldom more Certainly the proportion is nothing like one out of ten What then is is all the shouting about A careful analysis of what safety experts mean b by speed clears up the mystery although it affords us little cause for complacency Far from relieving us of personal responsibility in the matter we Te find the finger of accusation pointed directly at Mr 11 and Mrs 1 Average Motorist i For if speed means as we ve learn not only such clearly dangerous speeds as 60 70 and 80 miles an hour but also speeds of 40 30 or even 20 miles an hour under adverse conditions then in effect the tragic toll of highway accidents means that a substantial proportion of us are lacking in good judgement That is a harsh indictment It hits us in a very r tender spot spot pride pride in our our native American common common- sense As a nation we are individualists and proud of it We e are proud of our freedom of ch choice ice freedom of initiative freedom to make our own decisions Let us hope that the Number 1 highway killer is not due to our inability to exercise g good judgement but rather athel to our ignorance of t the e conditions affecting safe driving r speeds Let us set about correcting this-ignorance this and thus halt the killing |