Date: September 22, 1930
Location: Northampton, MA
Summary: Coolidge writes about the increase in car accidents and deaths and urges states to create solutions to decrease accidents.
(Original document available here)
The waste that results from motor vehicle accidents in the United States has reached appalling proportions. During last year 31,000 persons were killed and 1,000,000 injured. This reads like the fatalities and casualties of a battlefield. A particularly discouraging feature was the 10 3-10 per cent increase, which exceeds the increase in the number of registrations. Deaths have doubled since 1922. The economic loss is estimated at $850,000,000, which is $350,000,000 above the previous year.
Many of the states and the nation at large have awakened to this terrible menace and are taking steps through investigations, commissions and conferences to meet it. Since, during this year, fatalities have not increased, some progress is indicated. Accidents to pedestrians and children have decreased.
The National Safety Council has reduced the accidental death rate in industry 30 per cent in eighteen years. This same agency, with all its allies, is working on highway security. Some way must be found to curb recklessness and provide safeguards for operation. Elevated structures over railroads for through traffic are undoubtedly coming.
Every consideration of humanity and economics requires a solution of this pressing problem.
Citation: Calvin Coolidge Says: Dispatches Written by Former-President Coolidge and Syndicated to Newspapers in 1930-1931 (Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation)
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of Fr. Stephen Lawson who prepared this document for digital publication.