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Show BLAME PLACED ON JAY WALKER Figures Prove Careless Pedestrians Cause Many Accidents WASHINGTON, Dec 9. Blame for the greatest number of street and rr.a l nrlrlnnta In TrVil.-h 51 11 1 r ni . V. 1 1 4 ana ped-strlans figure, is placed upon the shoulders of the "Jay-walker," by M. O. Eldridge, executive chairman of the American Automobile association associa-tion The public is entirely too ready I to blame the driver, Mr. Eldridge de-1 de-1 ciarcs, the first cry that goes up. as a rule, when such an accident oc-t oc-t curs, is that the driver was at faulc j when, as a matter of fact, in a large majority of cases the person injured 1 was to blame SHOW N BY CB Mil. Explaining a chart summary of ' traffic accidents in New York City. I in which the fault or incapacity cf : the proper party is shown. Mr. I Eldridge declared that while almost 50 per cent of the causes of accidents 'are unknown, the blamo in the cases 1 whore the fault was determined was 1 overwhelmingly placed on tho Injured ! one. "Over a certain period of time In i which 7,327 accidents. Involving private pri-vate automobiles, occurred, thp police 'department of New York City found i by thorough in estimation that in a: I cases tho driver of the car was li blame," lie continued. ' In 3.1 6S cases, the person injured was to blame, and j in 3.C83 cases the cause of the acci-! acci-! dent was unknown. With the heavy ,' preponderance of blame placed on Unperson Un-person Injured In the known causes of ! accidents, it is but fair to presume that the injured person was to blame ! In more than 50 per cent of the remaining re-maining ::.jS3 cases. Basing thiy upon Conservative estimates- PI WAIT1 DEM 1 N'DED. "During the same period of time. In! which 1 209 accidents, Involving taxi-; 'cabs, occurred, tho cause for 61 sunti 'cases was traced to the driver, while J 43 7 cases were blamed on th person Injured, and the cause of 714 accidents acci-dents remained unknown. "These figures emphasize tho con-tentlon con-tentlon that no traffic legislation Is complete until It provides a pcualty for Jay-walking. If a motorist Is to be fined for disobedience of a traffic ' signal then the pedestrian should be fined for jay-walking across tho street, putting himself as well as every motorist in the Immediate vicinity vicin-ity in dunger." |