OCR Text |
Show REGULATE THE CARELESS DRIVER In 1925, total fatalities in the United States involving automobiles automo-biles amounted to 19,564. Of these, 17,780 occurred either on or at the intersections of streets and highways, and 1,784 at railroad grade crossings. In other words, nearly 91 per cent of all these fa talities occurred on highways away from railroad crossings. If the public is to be protected against careless or inexperienced inexperi-enced drivers, radical changes must he made not in all grade crossings of railroads which would burden taxpayers and at best prevent only a small portion of the accidents but in issuance of licenses, policing practices and the driving on highways. The source of danger is the driver, not the grade crossing. Drastic penalties should be attached to the offense of driving an automobile while intoxicated, failing to give or obey traffic signals, sig-nals, driving at night without proper headlights, driving at excessive exces-sive speed. Forfeiture of license and jail penalties are none too severe where the transgression results in avoidable accidents. The National Bureau of Casualty and Surety Underwriters is carrying on an aggressive campaign against the careless drivers in: its effort to reduce accidents. Its companies even refuse to insure known careless or reckless drivers, for with insurance such drivers feel that all necessity for carelessness on their part has been removed, re-moved, and that death or injury that they inflict will be "covered by insurance." |