OCR Text |
Show SPEED BREEDS DEATH j One of the most serious aspects of the automobile accident problem is a constant increase in the number of fatalities per accident ac-cident . In 1933, for example, the number injured non-fatallv increased in-creased 2.2 per cent over 1932 while fatalities jumped 5.9 per cent. j The reason for this is obvious: Excessive speed. It is an in-; controvertible maxim that the chance of an accident producing aj fatality becomes greater as the speeed of cars involved increases J A vivid example of this is provided by comparing last year with i 1927. Registrations in 1933 were less than 3 per cent above the1 1927 level. The total number of miles driven by passenger cars! was little, if any, greater. But there Were 17 per cent more1 deaths. j A recent exhaustive survey produced the fact that excessive j speed was responsible for 33 per cent of all automobile deaths.- And that term, "excessive speed," needs a definition. There are,: times when fifteen miles an hour is dangerous and there are ' times fifty miles an hour is overcautious. Road and weather ' conditions, the amount of traffic, the experience of the driver, j1 the condition of the car these factors, rather than a mere!1 speedometer reading, are the tests of safe operating speeds. i ; Any speed is unsafe if the driver is unable to stop his car in ' the assured clear distance ahead. Road and weather vary the1, ' ' safety factor. - i , Study your car and your own capabilities. Discover how' soon you can stop at varying speeds. This is indispensable in' be-i coming a safe motorist. j: n "' "' il |