| Show TIIE THE NEW CARS ARE ann OUT last month the automobile shows were held throughout the country the new cars are more beautiful in I 1 design and fi finish i h than ever before they offer much in the way of improvements and gadgets their power plants deliver staggering performance you can push the throttle down and run up to 80 or 90 m p h without trouble so far as the mechanics of your car are concerned however the emphasis placed on speed has been productive of one of the gravest national troubles america has known the growing accident toll and the driver who thinks that 70 is safe because it seems as slow as 30 used to should think again silent engine performance wont help if we encounter a cement guard rail at high speed effortless steering wont make a headon beadon head bead on crash less destructive lack of vibration wont help the undertaker patch us together after the wrecking crew gets the body out with blow torches but these modern modem cars are magnificent ent examples of safety engi blueprint blue print safety brakes stop a hurtling machine in abaz angly short distance without sway or shock all steel bodies will take a lot of punishment without serious damage steering isms iams are next to fool proof and the tire manufacturers have done their bit by reducing the blowout blow out hazard to a minimum yet each years safety improvements have been followed by more accidents not fewer accidents and by more serious accidents not less severe accidents why because we the motoring public have overestimated the safety factor of the new cars just as we have overestimated the safety factor of wider better surfaced highways the cars and the roads are improved and so we take the chances that lead to disaster the me new super performing cars are out maybe you are lucky enough to be able to buy one have a good time with it but treat it with respect and remember that people die and many more are injured and maimed on our streets and highways every year dont add to that list |
