TOLL OF THE MOTOR

Shannon News, 2 November 1928, Page 4

TOLL OF THE MOTOR

DEATH-RATE IN AMERICA,

ONE EVERY TWENTY MINUTES,

NEW YORK.

Every twenty minutes of tho<.day and night someone is, killed by an automobile in the United States. Mo re than 25,000 -will die in this way during the present' year. The total is growing at a faster relative rate than the population. This huge death-rate is bringing about harmonised traffic control throughout the United States. The De: partment of Commerce at Washington is co-operating with State and,-city-zoning and traffis engineers all over the country in seeking to find a bal v anco between speed .and safety. Decentralisation of traffic•'" in big cities has now" been commenced. ' In Chicago no automobiles arc allowed-to park.in the Loop district, where traffic is most congested. , Los Angeles is spending a huge sum in depressing one street under'another at the busiest crossings. Iu Detroit, Boston and other big cities, new sky l 'scrapers are being built to provide parking space for cars. One New York department store takes over its clients' cars at the front door, issues checks for them, putting them in a nearby garage and delivering them > again at the front door at a telephoned request.

Pedestrians are now forced to cross streets only by intersections, under control of "the same system that applies to motorists. Driving signals out the country • are being made uniform. .''■■■■ ' :

A careful analysis of the delay of passenger traffic, based on a low estimate of the average pefson's time, puts the annual loss for New, York city down at £IOO,OOO. ; C Canada has hitherto - reconciled her traffic by-laws in harmony with those of the United owing to the heavy interchange of traffic. The same problem of decentralisation of traffic is being grappled with, in the Dominion on much the same lines as v in the United Stato«s..