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Show How To Prevent Accidents To Children STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! We notice a feeling of carefulness around us as we near street intersections. inter-sections. Everyone knows the danger of disobeying traffic signals, sig-nals, yet there are many deaths caused each year by people disobeying dis-obeying these rules. But above all, children, who are the smallest, are being killed. "Would we intentionally in-tentionally run over a child?" No! Yet that is what is happening very frequently in our cities. Someone must be to blame! Is it the child? Sometimes it is, but you could hardly blame a small child for disobeying traffic signals that it doesn't even understand or know about. Is it the driver of the vehicle? Frequently it is, but a driver cannot always prevent accidents to wayward children. Then who is to blame for the deaths and accidents which occur so frequently to children? It might astonish you if I say, "All of us are to blame." But nevertheless, neverthe-less, I shall give you my opinion on it: There are many reasons why children are killed on the streets: First, They play on the streets since there is no other place to play; Second, Their homes and training do not give them the right impression toward traffic regulations; Third, Children often disregard advice; Fourth, Drivers of vehicles are often in a state of intoxication; Fifth Drivers often disregard traffic signals; Sixth, Drivers often have cars with useless use-less brakes. These reasons, with some others which I shall not enumerate, are the ones why accidents ac-cidents occur to children. First, I said some children have no place to go for recreation. Recreation Re-creation is very essential for the growing child, yet to play on the streets is very dangerous. Children Chil-dren do not play on the streets because they would rather do so, but because there are no public parks, playgrounds, or other places where they may spend their time. We are the makers of the city; and if there are no parks and playgrounds for children to play on, we are indirectly responsible for their being on the streets. But the second cause I stated was their training. Are the children chil-dren trained enough in this matter? mat-ter? Although signs are pasted around, lectures are given, and Policemen are hired, some children chil-dren are hurt because they are not impressed with the danger of crossing streets As before, we are responsible for what our children do; therefore, we are the ones to taks the responsibility of training them. The Third reason "Some often disregard advice and council" comes also from the home environment. envir-onment. Many children dare each other to run across streets in front of moving vehicles. Somi. even do it to see if it is possible to beat the automobile as do their parents in regard to trains at thj pressings. I am reminded of an incident that occured to my younger brother. Although he was taught to stay on the sidewalks, side-walks, he was always disregarding advice and running across the read in front of a moving automobile. auto-mobile. One cold winter day he started across the road in front of a moving car, but he slipped on the ice and fell. If it had not been for the quick thinking and skillfulness of the driver, my brother bro-ther would have been killed. As it was, he received a great "scare' and was taught a lesson which he has since remembered. But all children aren't as lucky; therefore, something has to be done about it. Again the problem lies with us as citizens of a com munity. Watch children when they are crossing intersections ana : warn them of . the danger that ; might arise from some small folly. 1 The three reasons why children are injured and killed at intersec- : lions just given deal with the child. The next three reasons deal with the Driver of the vehicle. ve-hicle. The first problem comes when the driver is under the influence of liquor. His brain is distorted, and he is no more responsible for what he does (while in this state) than a very small child. Here is a case of disiegarding national law as well as community traffic signals. But who sold the driver of the vehicle the intoxicating liquor? liq-uor? Ah! here comes the problem prob-lem for us. The child is small and irresponsible, and the driver was intoxicated therefore irresponsible. irre-sponsible. Where then does the blame lie? It lies indirectly with the man who breaks national law by making liquor and ruins or kills two people by selling it to one of them. Therefore, our responsibility to our country as well as to our community, ourselves, our-selves, and our fusture posterity, lies with the "Bootlegger." Get rid of him and the greatest force toward to-ward ruining and killing is eliminated. elimin-ated. The next reason is disregarding traffic signals. No matter how many traffic signals there are, I there wiil still be as many child accidents as before if they (the traffic signals) are not obeyed. This calls for a strict inforcement of the iaw. Here, as before, we come into the limelight. Public opinion governs the community, and the people make public opinion; opin-ion; therefore, it again lies with as to see whether or not child accidents ac-cidents are to be avoided. The last of the driver problems as well as the problem I mentioned is in regard to conditions of our automobiles. In a radio address delivered over K. D. Y. L. recently, it was stated that cars should be overhauled and looked after Ire-. Ire-. quently. No child is safe on the street unless all automobiles have . good strong brakes. We, the people, not the children, own the cars; hence, the responsibility lies with us as it does with the rest of the reasons I mentioned. By showing you our problems with the child and driver of the vehicle, and by offering their remedies, I have expressed my opinion in regard to the Chlla Traffic Problem. Let us hope that the day will soon come when Child Accidents at Intersections and on Streets will be unheard of. We do not kill wantonlessly God's creatures here on earth then let us not kill or injure those he loves most of all THE CHILDREN! Arthur Nielson |