ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

stood that there are some elements of
error in the estimate chiefly because the
underwriters' reports do not cover all in-
surance issued. Also the so-called "col-
lision" policies issued frequently do not
provide full coverage for damage to ma-
chines, and therefore do not give a true
index of this type of loss.

Seventy million dollars is then a
reasonably accurate estimate of the
annual monetary losses due to auto-
mobile accidents in California. How
much is $70,000,000? It is enough
to cover the annual pay roll of a
California corporation employing 40,000
men and women. Enough bread winners
to support a city of over 125,000 per-
sons. Through carelessness, indifference
and criminal negligence we are absolute-
ly wasting this tremendous sum.

What is the cost to the individual in-
volved in a traffic accident? The amount
may be only $50, but it might be $25,-
000 or even $100,000. There are plenty
of instances where injuries have award-
ed judgments of $25,000 for the death
or serious injury of a person. A young
man may have his earning power to-
tally destroyed. Perhaps a young man's
earning power will be impaired to the
extent of $1,000 per year with a life ex-
pectancy of 25 productive years this
would mean a loss to him of $25,000.
The tendency is for jury awards for per-
sonal injuries to go higher and higher.

It is startling to figure out the aver-
age chances for accidents based upon the
1929 record. One in every 866 cars will
kill a person during a year. One in ev-
ery 2½ cars will be damaged in an caci-
dent of some kind, during a year.

Unless you are more careful or more
fortunate than the average preson your
car will be involved in a personal injury
accident of some kind once in 150,000
miles of travel, based on a very conserv-
ative estimate of 6,000 miles travel per
year.

The monetary losses are a very serious
matter for the nation, the state and the
community. According to the estimate
that California is suffering a loss of
$70,000,000 per annum through motor
vehicle accidents, (all of which, however,
is not a permanent economic loss), it is
reasonable to hold that the various com-
mittees can well afford to spend 50% of
the aggregate permanent economic loss-
es, say a total of $25,000,000 per annum
in the removal of traffic hazards and in
the employment of well-trained traffic
officers, in the expectation that by so
doing the accident losses can be reduc-
ed 50%. If this were possible, the $25,
000,000 expended would in the long run

The Passing

Like the melting snows of winter,
Like the twilight after day,-
Is our race that's slowly passing
To the ending of our way.

From the Northland to the Southland,
From the East unto the West,
Once our lodges stood like forests,
Peace, content was in each breast.

On the prairie roamed the bison,
In forest glade the antlered deer.
Maize for all in every wigwam,
We knew no famine, knew no fear.

We understood all Nature's children,
Knew the ways of the wild.
Not in books was kept our learning
But handed down from man to child.

'Twas the Summer for the Redman,
Now the Winter ends us all.
Like a leaf is man to nature,
And like a leaf our race did fall.

White man, white man, know our sorrow.
White man, white man, know our woe.
For no race may live forever,
Soon our way you too must go.

Like the melting snows of winter,
Like the twilight after day,-
Is our race that's slowly passing
To the ending of our way.

and in the aggregate be off-set by the community movement, in cooperation

savings affected.
with public officials, for bringing about

more adequate law enforcement and for

educating the public in traffic regula-

tions. These improvements in traffic

control involved an expense of approxi-

mately $350,000. There remain great

possibilities for further reduction in ac-

cidents in that city through the employ-

ment of still more traffic officers and

through the removal of physical hazards

by modern engineering methods, and by

the provision of more adequate traffic

I mention a possible saving of 50 per

cent not as a mere guess, but as a rea-

sonable possibility based upon the ex-

perience in traffic accident prevention in

San Francisco. Automobile fatalities

were reduced in San Francisco 25 per

cent for the two years ending December

31, 1929, compared to the number of

deaths that would have occurred if the

death rate of the year 1927 had contin-

ued to prevail. This means, without tak-

ing into account the added potential dan-

gers due to increased population and in-

creased number of cars registered, the

saving of at least 79 lives in two years.

These results were accomplished largely

through the application of a scientifical-

ly devised comprehensive plan of traffic

control backed up by a highly organized

arteries.

The traffic accident situation presents

a challenge to every American to do his

utmost both through intelligent coopera-

tion with others and through the exer-

cise of personal responsibiilty, to help

meet and solve this greatest and most

difficult of all peace-time problems.