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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1953)
Thursday, December 17, 1953 THfcj BATTALION Page 8 Statistics Scare Holiday Driver By HARKI BAKER Battalion Staff Writer I’m seared. I’m going to drive more than 2,000 miles during the Christmas holidays, and I’m good and scared. I could laugh it off and say, “Oh, I’m a good driver. I have to be.” But it won’t work any more. I’m not so sure now. Maybe I am a good driver. But what about the “other fellow,” that far from mythical man so many accidents are pinned bn? Or maybe I’m not such a good driver. Do I obey all the rules, all Drive Carefully —and see us for • Humble Products ® General Service ® Road Service J AIN AC BROS. 1911 College Please Drive Take chances on your way home, and you may see her from a COFFIN! I l Leonard's Auto Parts Highways 6 & 21 Bryan , Prevent I T!i if is Drive With Caution During the holidays, and all times, use utmost caution when driving your automobile. Drivers— not automobiles 1 —cause accidents. However, care ful driving on your part is not a substitute for in surance. We represent only old line Capital Stock Companies with records of fair dealing throughout many, many years. You can’t insure a loss after the accident. Call us today. FRANKS - VINCENT Iiiguranee Service Will You Be on His List? the time ? Can I ? I must, to stay alive. I’ve been reading the statistics. Texas has 5,509 accidental deaths last year . . . more young people ai’e killed in automobile accidents than any other way . . . A&M’s Chief Fred Hickman says the odds are that at least one Aggie will be killed over the holidays. Somebody listens to the statis ticians. The insurance company says my station wagon and I have to pay a higher rate, because I’m in the “accident-prone age group.” Underneath their figures, the statisticians hide a lot of blood, pain and suffering. Running into bicycles is not particularly danger ous for my age group—it’s next to ‘the last in the causes of automobile deaths for the 15 to 24 group. But dollisions between bicycles and autmnobiles is the leading cause of deaths for the 5 to 14 age group. In other words, if I hit a kid on a bike, I’ll probably live through it. But that kid has only a slim chance to live. Statistics are cold. They’re cold because they hide many things. A scream, the contortion of horror just before the crash, the irrepar ably maimed bodies —~ they don’t show in “Texas had 5,509 accidental deaths in 1953.” I’ve read the book of statistics. And I’m scared. I wisli I could get everyone scared. (Sec I’M SCARED . ., Page 4) ■ f-i f 5K Learn By Doing Safely Ffitrol One of the ways children learn safety is by helping others to be safe. This is one reason why students at A&M Consolidated school are helping make College Station a safety-conscious city. The junior safety patrol, now in its first year of operation, is an attempt to show children of the school the value of safety. Founder of the patrol is Curtis Bullock, College Station patrolman. Bullock lias tried for three years to get such a plan into actual op eration here. Bullock supervises the patrol each day in front of the school. The boys do not direct automobile traffic, but help with pedestrians, and bicycles coming to and from the school grounds. Each group of patrols working at the intersections has a flag to warn mVlorists. * Slow Dovm “These flags warn drivers to slow dow n,” Bullock said. “If they don’t slow down, the boys take their license numbers and report them to me.” Charges will be filed against mo torists who repeatedly disregard the signals, he said. While school busses are loading, the boys keep children in line. One patrol gets on the bus and sees that everyone sits down. s School The patrols are selected by W. T. Reidel, junior high school princi pal. To be eligible, boys must have an average of SO in their school work and a note of approval from their parents. Before the safety patrols were formed, Bullock policed the streets by the school each day. Recently the Consolidated. Moth ers and Duds club presented Bul lock with a certificate of apprecia tion for the safety work he had done with children. In addition to his police work with the students, Bullock lectures classes on safety practices. Bullock has been a College Sta tion patrolman for four years. The Right Policy W. C. Holmes Insurance Variseo Bldg. — Bryan Q (Q; i 0 -JOURS Interest Always At Heart The customer’s best interest is always our first concern . every item serviced thoroughly and double- checked for safety. We take pride in our auto service; ’ you’ll take pride in your car’s dependable performance. Drive Safely This Christmas Wick Massey 223 So, Main Bryan Home Sweet Home Causes Bloodshed Over 600,000 people annually are using hammers on their thumbs, falling off ladders and actually shedding blood for dear old home sweet home. How to keep your fingers on your hands seems to be a big prob lem in this, “do it yourself” era. Each year 180,000 people are in jured making their own furniture. The Christmas , season, with all its joys, Christmas cheer—and in creased accidents, is coming. You can enjoy your Christmas to the fullest if you will just ob serve a few safety precautions. When hanging tree ornaments stand on a sturdy stool or ladder. Wear low heeled shoes. Buy safe toys for the children. See that playthings have no jagged edges. Check eyes, buttons and beads on dolls arid stuffed toys, since youngsters have a love of swallowing these small objects. 'When buying your decorating materials make sure they are flame proof. Avoid using candles near 1 decorations. String inflammable decorations near the ceiling well away from guests’ cigarettes. Btyan, Z< Avoid Engine Hazards Meclianieal failures on the busy, holiday highways can sometimes be fatal. Let us service your car regularly to keep it in top running condition. Regular brake inspections can reduce automobile accidents. DONAHO BUICK CO. 1215 Highway 6 £ — Bry^n, Make A Note For . . Holiday Safety And For Convenience, Xry Drive-In Banking Filter the drive from 24th street, follow the arrow to the drive-in window, and cash your checks or make deposits from your ear. (If you have business in the bank, use the parking lot and coine in’the’Fast entrance.)' CITY NATIONAL -RANK iCI CW MAIN' t.d.i.c. BitYAN: