OCR Text |
Show fudge Smith Warns (HHoliday Drinking Hazards "Drinking plus driving equals disaster!'' This statement was made by Judge David A. Smith today as he discussed the holiday hazards program vvhich is being conducted conduct-ed this month by the Cedar City Safety Council and the National Safety Council. "If anyone doubts the truth of this equation, I Invite him to come down to traffic court and look at the records," Judge Smith said. "The humber of fatal traffic traf-fic accidents on the books which show that pedestrians or drivers i involved had been drinking certainly cer-tainly will remove such doubts." Judge Smith said National' Safety Council figures show that in 23 out of 100 fatal accidents1 occurring in the United States' during 1952, a driver or a pe-jdestrian pe-jdestrian had been drinking. "Drinking is a big traffic safe-ity safe-ity problem at Christmas time," ! he said. "With all the parties and 'celebrations that take place j around that time, there is much l more drinking. And the trouble starts when people who have been drinking venture out in traffic." Judge Smith pointed out that 'it takes maximum alertness to stay safe in today's hazardous traffic. He said that since alcohol alco-hol slows reactions and impair judgment it reduces alertness. "And I want to make it clear," he said, "that pedestrians, as well as motorists, should not venture ven-ture into traffic after they've been drinking. A pedestrian needs a clear head every minute , to protect him from injury by 1 cars. The slightest befuddlement I can cost him his life." Judge Smith appealed to Cedar City citizens to protect themselves them-selves this holiday season by making arrangements beforehand before-hand for transportation to and from parties and other large gatherings, and these citizens should be especially careful to make provision for transportation if alcoholic beverages are to be , served at the affair. |