Evening Star Newspaper, January 24, 1926, Page 63

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A STATES IGNORE DEFECTIE VISIN Survey Shows Need of Uni- versal Eye Tests to Re- duce Accidents. Eyesight as a factor in safe auto mobile operation s ignored in 41 States. This announcement is made by the Eyesight Conservation Coun «il of America after a nation-wide survey. Only four States have stat- utes that refer directly to a sight test r prospective drivers. Universal lests are urged to reduce needless dents. There are over 15,000,000 motor cars registered in the United States,” says the council’s report of the sur- vey, “and it is safe to assume that the number of persons who drive ex- ceeds considerably the number of cars ac Should Take Precautions. ““When it is realized that a proportion of our population includes the motor-driving tion, have reduced visual perception and th 12,000 persons in the United States are killed annually by auto- molile accidents and ov 100,000 more njured and, further, that 85 per cent of &1l accidents are preventable, it wouid sewm that proper precautions sisould be taken with regard to the ght of motor drivers when - erses to drivers are issued “Unquestionably good eyesight is a prime requisite for all drivers of motor cars, and many accidents are 18edless]; aused by those drivers vhose eyesight is defective. of motor vehicle laws of States shows unwarranted reglect of this most important qual- Ittcation. Only fou States make 1tutor: reference to the eyesight of g Delaware, Minnesota, Or- and Pennsylvania, and these «re merely more or le: vague state- ments to the effect that eyesight of ‘vplicants must not be impaired or defective. State officials reported that the eye- of applicants is tested in five nal States, Maryland, ew lampshire, New Jersey, Ohlo and iode Tsland, although mno provsion < made for such tests by law. Evye- Sight tests are not used by State de- rartments to determine the qualifica- tions of motor drivers in the remain- ng 41 States An effort is being made by the local police department of Roanoke, Va., to improve the eyesight of motor ivery applicant for a driv- r's se must have at least one- half normal vision in order to receive # permit to drive. It vislon s below this, the appli- cant is advised to have his eyes thor- oughly examined and to secure glasses 10 better his condition, if possible. “But_if vision cannot be brought to one-half normal the permit is per- manently refused. In the examina- 1ion of 4,498 applicants, three persons with uncorrectable eye defects were permanently refused permits, and 124, that is, 2.8 per cent of those applying, were refused permits until fitted with rlasses. ‘‘As the result of a visual test of ©24 motor drivers at a New York State fair in 1924, it was found that 454, or 77.6 per cent, had vision below 66 large which popula- al | by Only 5 Per Cent Of Street Mishaps Due to Car Builder | Makers of automobiles are given .n\! alimost clean bill of health in traffic accident statisti A survey has re vealed that oniy 5 per cent of street | mishaps are traceable to equipment, and that even this figure would be reduced if owners of cars kept them in better condition. The same investigation showed th: November Is the worst month of the ear for accident | rormal. On the basis of a required | visual acuity of only 50 per cent, it| was recommended that 78 persons | should have their vision corrected in order to be safe drivers of motor ve-| hicles on the public highways. | ““The left eyes of four persons were totally blind, and objects appeared double to one person. It was further found that 136 persons, or 218 per cent, were wearing glasses. “Although no comprehensive and | authoritative investigation ha been made to determine a definite relation i ship of defective vision to automobile | accidents, it is a recognized fact that | it is a highly important contributory | cause of accidents. ‘The department of motor vehicles | of Connecticut is e mining the eyes ©of a limited number of operators in- volved in motor accidents, but has not gathered sufficlent data to warrant drawing any conclusions. $ “Under the direction of the regis- trar of motor vehicles of Massachu- setts an effort is being made to deter- mine whether defective vision is a contributing factor in the cause of ac- cidents, The results of the examina- tion of the eyesight of 330 motor drivers concerned in accidents in Massachusetts show that 82 persons, or 203 per cent, of the total had visual acuity below 20-60 in one or ns were wear- | one-elghth of | those in need of glasses.” | The symbol ““20—20,” the councii ex- | plained, means that a person with normal vision can read with precision at a distance of 20 feet. Thus the 82 Massachusetts defectives could read only at 20 feet what they should have been able to read at 60 feet “The increasing number of acci- dents caused by motor traffic in the United Kingdom led to the determina- tion of a definite standard of eyesight for motor drivers and a proposed scheme of vision testing for licenses,” continues the council’s report. “The visual standards recommended the British report are: Visual aculty of 6—9 in one eye and 6—24 in the other eve without the aid of glasses; a full field of vision in each eve (Important from the s dpoint of | objects approaching from either side) no manifest squint; no double vision. A committee on physical standards for drivers of motor vehicles has re. ported the following recommendations relating to minimum visual require- ments: Viston of at least 20—50 in one eve and vision of at least 20—100 in the poorer eve. “Such & board might qualify an ap- plicant with vision less than 20—100 in one eye provided that vision in the other is at least 20—30, with or with- out the ald of glasses, and the field of vision is normal—that hearing is efficlent and that the applicant is full capacitated in all other respects phys- ically and alert mentall; More than one-tenth of all vehicles used in England are still horse- drawn. . . . Speed | 000,000 or more families now ow cars in THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. ¢, JANUARY 24, An Abridged Magazine for Car Owners. EDITED BY WILLIAM ULLMAN A 90-mile-an-hour stock car just has been announced. there’ll be miore nos 5 ‘ | | Encouraging Figures. While the seasonable talk about saturation, overproduction and simikur | motor topies is at its height, it is in teresting to record and mull oy eral of the striking facts and figur of the times. 3 i The National Automobile Chumber of Commerce, for instance, estimates | that (here are approximately 10,000,000 | American families that own | wutomobiles Deducting truck and bu: senger cars have not 0,000,000, which would be a kev car for approximately every people. In other 20,000,000 out of ev ride the str of these ¢ do not 100,000 1ions me of ove ei 15 yet re: there ave | five people when cars, words, 1ssenger et railways if the owners | s have other plans. It has been estimated that only families out of every 1,000 own n than one car. Viewing it f other angle, it means that some ing be in Many the America may some day the market for a second car. of them are in the market for second car now. | Bvary time a dealer sactifices i used | car In order to get rid of it. some one who' could not buy a car before is er abled to join the ranks. Experienc bas shown that the tremendous strides | of motordom have been the result of the enthusiasm of car owners. Ivery | car owner_is a booster for the auto mobile. Every time some one get started using an automobile he ways a u Millions _of people have tracted to the automobile thr prices, exceptional values comfort of the closed car these people are soon going to want better ca: nd the American auto- moblle factories will supply the de. mand. A significant point i not have to make order to keep on s record-breaking rate been ugh low and the Most of | 1t Ford did changes in | cars at a | Stopping Is Secondary. Experfence with four-wheel has reached a point where that many acturer ates of thes brakes mad. mistake in stressing stopy Too many persons got the that four-wheel brakes were des to enable drivers to take wter | chances. But now that they know better it has become evident t stopping Is a secondary matter. One typical driver lists the following ad vantages: Safety against skidding. Reduced tire wear. Surer braking in descending hil when normal car balance is disturbe Less physical effort in applying the brakes. More than two-wheel efli when the four-wheel brakes in perfect adjustme Giving Themselves Away. Carbon removers long have heen s mystery to the car owner. He brak ned | eve re n six will have to walk or | | regardle heard many persons make guesses as to what these compounds contain, but pinned right down to a statement the sually hedge and fail to aranteed analysis. mystery, however, has been partially solved by one of the carbon remover manufacturers himself. He has listed the things that his product is guaranteed not to contain. The things that do not appear in this particular remover, but which evidently have been used extensively in other removers, are kerosene, cam- phor, alcohol, ether and acid com- pounds, Glimpses of the Future. The steam-cooled engine completely encased in cork, enabling it to retain ts heat overnight. All closed ¢ s heated by the com- bustion of carbon monoxide and other 5 now wasted Engines so dilution the that crank- gainst from be immune from so sealed and need and water never dirt {rom blow L hanged Al s luminously painted to be visible at night under any conditions, | of their own lights or those | of other cars Rubberized highways and hard-rub- ber tires for all passenger cars. Concentrated fuel, enabling owners 10 fill up the gas tank once a month. Two-cylinder engines remarkably refined, arranged for variable gearing, flexible to zh degree and silent in operation. air oil Years of Auto Progress. 1900—Tiller gives wheel ince introduces modern type of radiator here. 1905—Passengers enter tonneau at the side. 1909— Left-hand drive is adopted. 1911—First self starter appear cleeve-valve engine. 1913—First vacuum feed for gasoline; Jso_aluminum pistons. First V-eight: also first twin-six. Fabric universal joints. ght-in-line engine and four- wheel brakes 1923—Coach body introduced 1924 Balloon tires become standard «quipment. Duco finish. 1925—Ford brings out a new model. Last Laugh Again Best. Only a few years ago many motor- ists were laughing at the automobile er who tied a little red ribbon to : steering wheel so he would know n the front wheels were pointing aight. Among those who laughed, keener mind, who saw in this incident more than comic pos- sibilities, for at the New York auto. sbile show e was revealed au known as a wheel | way to steering 1903—F also however, was W accessory, marker. It serves the 3 ribby ime purpose as the | t for the | heen con. | nufacturers thus has lways in front A quality Six in every sense of the term ... With a marvelously designed, extra powerful engine that enables you to pass almost every- one else on the road . . . Acceleration that keeps you out of the ruck in traffic . . . A color combi- nation and grace of line that, in any company, singles out this car for its sheer outstanding beauty. Richly upholstered in genuine Baker velour. So roomy that never before have you experienced such luxurious comfort in any other car of its price or class. The New WILLYS FINANCE PLAN offers credit terms at lowestcost in the in- dustry. WARDMAN-JUSTICE MOTORS, Inc. EXCLUSIVE OVERLAND SALES STORE 1108 Vermont Avenue N.W. MAIN 10320 Now You Have It! (Answers to Last Week’s Questions) 1. The steepest grade an automo- bile can climb without extra equip ment for traction is approximately 30 per cent, 2. A true brougham model is a limousine with the elimination of the roof over the driver's compartment. 3. One popular way of stopping carbon knocking is through doping gasoline with something to ralse the ignition point of the gas vapor. Only the fire from the spark plugs then can ignite the vapor. 4. It Is not necessary to pour gaso- line into the vacuum tank after hav- ing run dry of gas and refilled the main tank. The vacuum will refill itself it the engine is cranked with ignition off and throttle closed for several minutes. 5. There is considerable back pres- sure on the pistons of many engines by reason of the exhaust gases. A number of plans have been tried with a view to ellminating this back pressure. MOTORISTS MUST BE OWN POLICE, PENNSYL- VANIA OFFICIAL SAYS (Continued from Sixth Page.) ditions. The law provides that brakes must be in good working order. It is therefore, incumbent upon the car owner that he keep them in that ordes “Not all the accidents laid at the door of speed are correctly blamed Speed plus mechanical imperfection, or speed plus poor judgment on the part of the driver are responsible for alto- gether too many accidents. “The law books are fllled with page after page of restrictions for motor- car operators. If car drivers were all to observe 'the golden rule there| would he no necessity for any motor legislation. This is not entirely a vain hope. “There is no particular reason why men and women cannot be gentlemen and ladies on the road as they are at home. Pedestrians do not perpetrate the discourtesies that characterize the road-hog. A road-hog is not simply the man who takes his half of the highway in the center. He has glar- ing headlamps. His brakes are bad. He passes other cars on curves and crests of hills. He cuts in and out of traffic at dangerous places and times. A road-hog is that driver who I in- considerate in all things. “The trouble on Pennsylvania roads is that drivers are carelessly indiffer. | ent. AUTO REPAIRING Expert service and repair- ing for all makes of cars FLINT and GARDNER SERVICE A SPECIALTY T. J. CAMFIELD 17th and V Sts. N.W. Pot. 5446 Tires and Accessories —_— e — — day wondering what there is to invent THE SUNDAY MOTORIST | s vousere st cise tax on the EXCLUSIVE WILLYS-KNIGHT SALES STORE SERVICE STATION 1108 Vermont Avenue N.W. 1515 14th St. N.W. MAIN 10320 1926— PART 3. FINAL FIGHT URGED | ON AUTO TRUCK TAX National Automobile Chamber of Commerce Sounds Call to Arms. Because of the action of the Senate | ' finance committee in fastening an ex commercial vehicle truck makers, dealers and us: preparing to exert eve combat this mea as & penalty on one s portation, according to the > Nl Automotive Chamber of Commerce which is calling a ¢ ir formulate a pro; he isst 1 be carried to the floor of the Hou and Senate, it fs stated Motor trucks, it is pointed out much hig taxes than motor in the various States State authori ties hold thut If commercial vehicle are compelled to pay still highway use, that is a rever the State should and source of taxation should not | q for the purpose of the Feder ury. Among the groups on record the Federal niotor ve taxes are Farm Bure: Automobile As: tomobile Chamber tional Automobile tion, Motor Truck Rubber Assoc pay secure, of De Use of Emergency Brake. Using the emergency applies to the drums on th wheels) helps to make the brake more effective When exter: contracting brake bands b pand and are less effc the Internal expands used (the emergency | ftself tends to expand a lit partly compensate for of the bands of the brake service |Stap envuing dumers Studebaker | Powsr Disrabily this | at af it new 1S a ng them should th belts come loose. To find out what ti in car coiors for the paint jc To ind le To ha old car greasec son is ut hand fo st fc whe or next to buy out he cordir of ind covered HOW TO USE CHAINS. They Are a Precaution Skidding. But Not Agai Spoedins license pre: ral skidding e styles v ind to orde ngly sutomobile s of the ne The new thi v the inco DRAINING OF'VGAS TANKS. « Periodical Duty for Cold Weather | Period Enjoined ¥ bottom m; In most in pluge rthe eful owner re nk by inserting ATTENTION AUTO OWNERS Seduns Tourin pes, Chevrolets, Sedans, $G3: Cou 560 Koadaters, $50 DONALDSON A T0 PAINTING €O Kew N.Y. Ave Phone Franklin e r dan Overland for THEY’RE GOING TO SEE IT | TueCOLLEGIAN | THE NEWEST THING IN MOTORDOM | | e =l Leads the World in Motor Car Value On View Greater Power and New Smoothness Qu / . Here ietness “Enclosed Car” Motor Introduced ¢t New York Show Our showrooms are now devoted to a Special Nash Exhibit that practically duplicates the great New York Show display. Here you may view personally the important new Nash develop- ments —particularly the great new Nash “Enclosed Car” Motor. Ia creating this new motor Nash deliberately disregarded general precedent which was accustomed to shape the capabilities of a motor to epen car require- ments. On the contrary, Nash especially engineered this motor to provide the finest calibre of performance for the enclosed car. In utter smoothness, in quietness and in phenomenal acceleration, this new “Enclosed Car” Motor clearly outdistances gone before. all that has It creates an absolutely new stand- ard of enclosed car performance that will prove a revelation to you—for it is surpassingly supe- rior in every phase of operation. There’s a full 257 greater volume of symmetrically smooth power— power without a single “rough spot” thruout the entire range. And the speed with which you accelerate is lightning-like—23% faster than formerly in going from any given rate to a higher rate. Yet your travel-cost per gallon of fuel is held down to the old low level. And so expertly is the motor de- signed and constructed thatunder average driving conditions you may drive it to a mileage high in the five-figure class without fur- ther thought except to change oil at the usual periods. WALLACE MOTOR CO. Distributor Retail Salesroom—1709 L Street NN\W.—Main 7612 Hawkins-Nash Motor Co. 1337 14th Street N.W. 1423 Washington, D. C. R. McReynolds & Son 14th and Park Road Washington, Associate L Street N. D. C John R. Pendleton Co., Inc. Dealers Nash-Rinker Motor Co. 1419 Irving Street Washington, D, 3342 M Street N.W. Washiogton, D. C. Birvon-Nash Motor Co., Clarendon, Va.

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