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Battalion Special Safety Edition
Cbe Battalion
Texas
A&M
University
Volume 61
Price Five Cents
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1964
Number 118
Will An Aggie Be Counted
In Record Fatality Toll?
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Once again the most joyous season of the year has
arrived. To the students, faculty and staff of Texas
A&M University, Mrs. Rudder and I extend best wishes
for a Merry Christmas.
We hoye this will be a season filled with joyful
appreciation for your families, your friends and for
the bountiful blessings which we have received. Let
us approach the New Year ivith hope and confidence.
The heavy volume of holiday traffic no doubt will
f be evident this year. We know that you will exercise
every safety precaution to avoid tragedy during this
season for rejoicing.
Earl Rudder, President
Texas A&M University
Front Tire Blows;
elts Prove Worth
$12 Allows Driver To Walk Away
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By HAM McQUEEN
Do you know what happens
when a right front car tire blows
out? The results can be fright
ening, to say the least. I know,
because I ended up in a ditch
eight feet deep.
One reason I’m here to tell
this story is because I was wear
ing a seat belt.
When I bought by first car, it
wasn’t equipped with seat belts.
I installed them about a month
later. I thought as the clerk
made out a saleslip, $12 is a lot
to lay out for seat belts, but
advertisements say they are good,
so I’ll try them.
While driving back from a date
one night, the right front tire
blew out. The tire was relatively
hew, and the treads were in good
condition.
My story as I live it over:
Just as I approach a bridge,
there is a loud noise. Then an
immediate pull of the car to the
right.
At 60 miles per hour, I don’t
have much time to think, and as
I approached the bridge at this
speed there isn’t much to think
about.
I see the bridge loom in front
of me. The next thing, impact.
It seems like eternity before the
car quits turning and bouncing.
Then into the ditch and sudden
$uiet.
My first thought, “Can I
move?” I can. At least I am
alive. “I must get out if I can.”
I open the door and begin to
get out, but something holds me
tight; my seat belt. As I un
buckle it, I say a short but sin
cere prayer of “thank you God.”
While waiting for the highway
Patrol to arrive, I take another
look at my car.
The motor is torn from its
mounts. The front of the frame
is broken. The hood and fenders
& re a mass of crushed steel. The
steering wheel is broken, air con
ditioner jammed against the front
scat and the dash resembles a V.
Now I think again, “Were those
seat belts expensive ? ”
At the hospital I was treated
for bruises and strained muscles,
caused by the restraining seat
belt. I didn’t know pain could
ueel so good.
When by father came to get
me, he asked if there was any
thing I needed from the wrecked
car. I quickly replied, “My seat
belts.”
Those same belts are in my pre
sent car. They saved by life once.
1 want them with me should I
need them again.
If you drive a car, buy a set
of seat belts as a Christmas pre
sent to yourself, your family and
friends.
There is still time to have them
installed before you make that
trip home for the holidays.
Seat belts spared you from
one Silver Taps ceremony this
year. Why not spare me the
same after the Christmas holi
days.
“If only we could go back to th’ good ole days just for Christmas, maybe all our Aggie buddies would make it backv’
Garrison Issues
Special Appeal
To A&M Drivers
Col. Homer Garrison, public
safety director of the Texas De
partment of Public Safety, issued
a special reminder Wednesday to
all A&M students “to stay aware
of the vital role they play on
Texas streets and highways dur
ing the holiday season.”
Garrison pointed out that much
of the increased volume of traffic
during the period would be col
lege students driving to and from
their homes.
“Younger drivers are physical
ly better able to handle their ve
hicles than some of their older
counterparts. By staying con
stantly alert they may be able to
prevent an accident which some
one with slower reflexes and re
sponses could not avoid,” he said.
Garrison pointed out that stud
ies indicate that at least one vio
lation of the law is involved in
almost every incident of a traffic
fatality. Thirty-five percent of
such deaths last year were caused
by speed too fast for existing con
ditions.
He added that drivers can keep
accidents down by observing these
basic rules followed by profes
sional drivers:
Ball Safety Issue
Will Be Entered
In Annual Contest
This edition will be submitted
to the Lumbermens Mutual Cas
ualty Company college newspaper
safety contest, originated in 1948.
Today college papers across the
country contribute their pre-
Christmas editions to safety cam
paigns.
Last year The Battalion won
first place in the national contest
and has won 12 awards in the
past 14 years.
1. Aim High In Steering—Look
farther down the highway than
you normally do.
2. Get The Big Picture—Be
aware of what is going on around
you at all times.
3. Keep Your Eyes Moving—
To be an effectively safe driver
you must see as much as possible
of the conditions affecting your
driving.
4. Make Sure You Are Seen—
Even though you take an extra
measure of caution, another driv
er might not ... if there is any
doubt as to whether or not an
oncoming driver has noticed you,
be ready to take evasive action.
5. Leave Yourself An Out —
Some accidents may seem un
avoidable, but if all drivers would
follow this final rule and take
necessary action to avoid an ac
cident, the Texas death toll would
drop sharply.
operation "DEATHWAT’CH”
DEC. 24 4U JAN. 3 ESTIMATE 105 M0T0RCIDES
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The figures above represent the estimated toll of 105 lives expected to be lost in Texas traffic
accidents during the 11-day holiday period from December 24 through January 3. During this
period, the Texas Department of Public Safety will tabulate these tragedies as they occur and
make periodic releases in an effort to focus public attention on the added dangers of holiday travel.
A special appeal has been issued to Texans to do their part in proving the estimate is too high.
WILL YOU BE A STATISTIC?
DPS Begins
Deathwatch
On Dec. 24
As Aggies prepare to leave for
the Christmas holidays the 1964-
65 school year has yet to see a
Silver Taps ceremony. Will there
be one when school resumes in
January?
The worst year for traffic
deaths in Texas history is ex
pected to end with 105 traffic
fatalities over the holiday period,
according to estimates prepared
by the Department of Public
Safety. Will an Aggie be in
cluded in that toll?
The DPS’ “Operation Death-
watch” begins at 12:01 a.m., Dec.
24, and ends at 11:59 p.m., Jan. 3,
pnd by the time the 11-day holi
day period is over 190 Texans
will have died.
Texas traffic deaths reached an
all-time high last year with 2,729
persons killed on the highways.
As of Dec. 4 of this year traffic
fatalities for the year totaled
2,642.
Quincy V. Tuma, president of
the Texas Safety Association,
noted that traffic deaths for the
first 11 months of this year in
creased about 12 percent over the
same period in 1963.
“This trend, plus the fact that
December is one of the most
dangerous months of the year
and that both Christmas Day and
New Year’s Day this year occur
on a Friday, increasing the pos
sibilities of highway travel, could
bring the total figure for 1964
traffic deaths to the 3,000 mark,”
Tuma said.
“If we are to stop this need
less loss of human lives, we must
accept our moral responsibilities
for the safety of fellow citizens—
and, we must stay alert to stay
alive,” he added.
During the nine-day holiday
period last year 132 Texans died,
including 84 traffic fatalities and
48 in other types of accidents.
December was the mostly dead
ly month for violent deaths in
1963. Six hundred and forty-five
persons were killed, including 312
traffic deaths, 180 from home ac
cidents, 34 deaths work accidents,
69 deaths public accidents and 50
from miscellaneous accidents.
Christmas Eve took the heav
iest toll of holiday deaths last
year with 14 fatalities, while 13
persons died on Christmas Day
and New Year’s Day.
Several state agencies and pri
vate organizations are cooperat
ing in the Department of Public
Safety’s annual drive to cut down
on holiday deaths. The Texas
Highway Department is distri
buting reminders on danger spots
and construction areas, and in
formation on signs and markers
to help keep drivers informed and
alert.
Night Before Leaving Warns Student Of Trip
Half Asleep, Half Awake, He Was Just 40 Miles From Home
By LEONARD KENT
Special Writer
It is the night before Christmas and I am alone
on the road. Twelve hours on the highway, stopped
four times for gas, engine running wide open, and
I am an Aggie 40 miles from home.
Half asleep, half awake, I got to stay awake,
’cause I got 40 more miles to go. I look at my
watch, I figure my time left on the road. Boy,
I will be lucky if I get there by dawn.
The road is pretty crooked, looks like a snow
is coming on, boy I wish I was home. Got to cut
that speed boy, sure hate to. Oh! I wonder if I
will ever get home?
I look to my left and I look to my right, sure is
dark out there . . . then I remember my radio saying
that it sure is cold.
There is a light up ahead, some car coming this
way I suppose, boy it sure is cold. Snow falls hard,
and then a little harder. It should though, for
tomorrow is Christmas, you know.
Half asleep again, I got to stay awake, for I
am an Aggie 40 miles from my home.
Well, the windshield is covered with snow now
boy, got to slow that speed down if I want to make
it home. I just got that 40 miles to go.
That car up ahead, I see the lights better now,
I don’t think it is too far up the road. It is just
a thought, but I wonder if he is 40 miles from his
home. That car up ahead, his light suddenly dis
appeared; I guess he turned off this crooked old
road.
Suddenly I am afraid, I fear that something is
wrong on up the road. I guess I just dozed off
again, cause I know that nothing could go wrong
so close to my home. Just 40 more miles on this
crooked old road.
Half awake again, half way to my sense, am I
dreaming or is that really something up there out
in the middle of the road? Whatever it is, it had
better move on, for I have only 40 miles to go.
Something has happened, looks like a wreck;
slow that speed boy, the road is slippery you know.
I press on my brake, my foot goes all the way
to the floor and my car races on down this crooked
old road.
There is a crash, a flash, and I feel my head
breaking the glass. Then all is still, all is quiet,
and suddenly now ... I feel the cold.
Suddenly I yell; will someone please help? I
am so very close to my home.
Someone grabs my feet, pulls hard . . . and
then I hit the floor. “Wake up roommate, don’t
you remember that today you got to head for
home ? ”
I flash a smile back to him and say . . . “Fellow,
it might interest you to know that a minute ago
. . . well ... I was just 40 miles from home.”