ROAD ACCIDENTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 47, 23 August 1930, Page 15

ROAD ACCIDENTS

BIG AMERICAN PROBLEM RED GROSS STEPPING IX The American Rod Cross, which- for more than twenty years lias campained against preventable deaths—whether due to accident or disease—has enterdeath total due to tho autoinbile, reports the "Now York Times." The Red Cross, through its chapters, ■will establish emergency first aid service at suitable points along tho highAvays whero accidents have been frequent. "Wayside stores, community centres, suburban stations of State police, etc., arc suggested as locations. Local chapters are to assume reaponsibiltiy for chains of these emergency stations, at convenient intervals, along the important roads within their jurisdiction. Bach emergency station will keep on hand a complete kit or1 first-aid supplies. An essential of the service to the injured will bo a. telephone directory of physicians, hospitals, and ambulance services in the immediate vicinity, approved by the local medical society. At least ono person trained in Kod Cross first aid will always bo on hand. Many are available already in every community, particularly employes of telephone companies and other public utilities, municipal and State police, firemen, Boy Scout executives, and leaders, inasmuch as the lied Cross has given this training for more than twenty years and has issued 401,000 certificates. EVEKYTHIGN VOLUNTARY. Chapters aro instructed to have- volunteer automobile transportation for the injured where necessary. Road markers, displaying the Red Cross symbol and designating the distance ahead, are to be placed, if possible, one-half mile from each station. The service to be rendered the injured motorist is a purely volunteer, humanitarian one. It comprises binding of wounds by those with a knowledge of Eed Cross first aid, calling a doctor and otherwise providing tho injured with prompt assistance which may save life. No financial remuneration will be accecpted for the service, but on tho other hand the volunteers at tho emergency first aid stations cannot assume responsibility for doctor's charges, nor for ambulance or hospital costs, or similar financing of the injured. In order that the required minimum standards for this service will be mot universally by members of chapters and branches which adopt the programme, authority for establishing the stations muts be obtained from national headquarters. It is felt that this service upon the highways will meet a pressing need for emergency help for thc_ injured, and that a network of stations on all important roads in the United States can be built up for the further safety of the travelling public. But stations must be standardised and organised upon a permanent basis. Chapters aro asked to ensure first the co-operation of the important agencies in their communities, os that this volunteer succor to tho injured will represent a community service, express-ed-through the Eed Cross chapter. THE ACCIDENT ROLL. The National Safety Council says that "final figures for 1928, released by the United States. Census Bureau, show that, accidents took 200S more lives in that year than in 1027. The otal of 95,086 represents a 2.1 per cent, increase over the previous year." A surprising number of these were in the home, due to falls, burns, cuts, scratches, asphyxiation, poison/ and other causes, falls accounting for 40 per cent, of the accidental deaths in the home. It adds that "accidental deaths where motor vehicles were involved increased 2115 over the preivous year. The grand total of 27,966 cle-aths ?n motor vehicles was an 8 pelcent, increase over 1927." The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, in a statistical bulletin, estimates that "more than 31,400 deaths occurred through tho automobile during 1929," and "this was accompanied by nearly one million more or less disabling injuries." The ratio of increase' in percentage of deaths and injuries is on. the upgrade. This ojic cause alone will this year probably account for about 32,000 deaths.'it is apparent, therefore, that accidents from ail causes annually kill almost twice as many Americans as were killed in the American forces during the World War, and that automobile accidents alone will account for 60 per cent, as many deaths and 400 per cent, more injuries in the year of our Lord 1930 than America lost in action through death and injury during that great conflict. INCREASING CASUALTIES. The tragedy of this "war" on the highways is that the'numbers mount caofe Tear. At. tho present r:itn there «# lii S&m&s-l -100,000 deaths and

more than 10,000,000 injuries on America's highways within the next ten-year cycle. "Each of these accidents insinuates itself into some- American home," says a commentator. "Quite aside from the problem of accident prevention, as so well exemplified through the effort of the National Safety Council and cooperating agencies, it is clear that the threat of family loss and suffering is upon our highways and that the harvest is as grim as that of war and disaster.'' Tho commentator continues: "The Red Cross has been studying the problem. Philadelphia and the Southeastern Pennsylvania" Chapter have, as part of their first-aid work, experimented with a system of first-aid to those injured on the hjghways. The Bed Cross societies of Germany, France, Belgium, and other European countries have already undertaken such a programme. The task is difficult. It cannot bo solved in-a day. With the intelligent interest of 3500 local chapters and their 12,500 branches in every part of the United States, with 50,000 representative citizens as chapter officers and hundreds of thousands volunteering service in some field of its work each year, with 650,000 trained in firstaid and life-saving by the Red Cross, With tho backing of its 4,000,000 adult and 7,000,000 junior members, with the goodwill of our 120,000,000 population, und with possible help from industry, tho automobile trades and allied associations, the medical profession, insurance companies, fraternal and patriotic organisations, and of national, local, and State Governments, it should be possible to make a material contribution toward saving the lives and increasing- the comfort for those injured. "The Red Cross has. under authority of its chairman, accepted tho challenge. It will shortly authorise many of its chapters to make an experimental beginning on this problem, particularly at°points along the more important highways. The plan, if experimentation proves its worth, will contemplate a growing system of emergency first-aid on the highways, limited wherever undertaken to the necessary emergency first-aid attention which may prevent death or further injury to the sufferer before tho services of a physician can be secured. It is not a substitute for medical care, but is intended to meet tho need until a physician arrives and takes charge."