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Show Dangerous Driving Months The fall and winter months are j the most dangerous of the year for automobile driving. Rain, snow, sleet, hail and ice; i early darkness, haste to reach ' home and escape the cold, tightly j closed cars and low visibility, all ! contribute to the hazards. Skidding is a chief danger of ; cold weather driving. The motorist must confront not only a visible ' wet or icy surface, but one hidden under a bed of fallen leaves. Last year 1,740 persons were killed and 51,720 injured in 44,-510 44,-510 accidents due to skidding cars. "The automobilist cannot carry the driving practices of the late spring and summer over to the fall and winter without running a great risk of accident," says Maxwell Max-well Halsey, Traffic Engineer of the National Bureau of Casualty and Surety Underwriters. "Conditions "Con-ditions become vastly different in the last three months of the year, and the driver must take them into in-to consideration." Mr. Halsey lays down certain rules for the dangerous danger-ous driving months. "Have your car thoroughly inspected in-spected for any mechanical defects de-fects that may have developed during the summer. "Be especially sure your brakes are effective; be sure your tires are In first-class condition, also your lights and your windshield wiper. "Cut down on your summer speed. "Allow for early darkness and for decreased visibility. 'If you find your car going into a skid, do not jam on your brakes." Available statistics indicate that automobile fatalities in the United States decreased about 12 per cent the first 7 months of this year. If that record were to be maintained up to, and including December 31. it would mean that the number of human lives taken by motor cars during the year would fall below 30,000 for the first time since 1928. However, the supreme test is now-being now-being applied. Every agency nowadays now-adays is endeavoring to bring about a reduction in automobile Insurance rates. A winter driver should realize that he can. contribute contri-bute most to the success of this movement by driving which will decrease the number of accidents. Under the most perfect conditions, condi-tions, the driver of an automoDile should exercise extreme care. And when the bad days come, that care should be stretched to the utmost. |
