116 



CONFERENCE OF GOVERNORS. 



accident happened without serious fault on the part of the operator. 

 We do find that. We have had people step ofE a moving street 

 car in front of an automobile^ and we have had cases of a father 

 running out and pulling his daughter in front of an automobile. 

 We have found that an automobilist could not stop for 100 feet, — 

 that he saw the person crossing the road, but was not operating at a 

 rate of speed that enabled him to look after that person properly, — 

 and he has lost his license. Thirty-four licenses have been re- 

 voked, and about one-half of these are chauffeurs; we have sus- 

 pended 50, 34 of whom were chauffeurs; we have dismissed with 

 a warning 45 ; and we have written innumerable warning letters. 



We have about 17,000 automobiles registered. It is true that 

 the number of accidents shows that the automobilists are more or 

 less reckless, or are pretty unfortunate in skidding ; but one curious 

 thing since we began to take the reckless men off the road is this : 

 the number of accidents increased with the number of automobiles 

 from 320 to 380, — that is, collisions ; the number of people injured 

 by these collisions went from three hundred and odd to two hun- 

 dred and odd, — one-third less people injured, with a larger number 

 of accidents. The number of deaths was reduced from 41 in the 

 three summer months of 1907 to 13 in the same period of this 

 year. Does that not show that reasonable regulation — taking the 

 reckless drivers off the road (and you will have the co-operation of 

 every automobile association in that) — will bring us sane opera- 

 tion and safe roads? 



MASSACHtrsETTS HIGHWAY COMMISSION'S Recoed, Jan. 1908, TO Dec. 



15, 1908. 



Revoked. Suspended. 



Result op — 



Court 

 Record. 



'"\rn^ Hearing. 



IntoxicatioD 



Reckless 



Taking automobile without owner's 



consent, 



Unlicensetl operator. 

 Three convictions of overspeedlng, 

 Not stopping for officer, . 

 Operating after suspension of 



license 



Improper operation, .... 



Incompetent operator. 



Deaths 



Totals, 



6 

 24 



7 

 21 



1 

 14 



9 

 22 



3 

 11 



1 

 10 



27 



1 

 12 



16 

 1 



