The Key West Citizen

SAFETY FIRST!

The City of Key West has again come to a time of reckoning in regard to traffic safety, and, as a result of lax observation of laws governing the safe driving of automobiles on the city's streets, the police department announced last week that a Safety Drive had been inaugurated.

The Citizen is in accord with this drive. Too often lately, it has had to record in its news columns the sad tales of accidents, caused in the main by drivers who have disregarded one or another of the traffic laws.

As announced, automobile owners will be called upon to keep their cars in good-running order—no more faulty lights or brakes, or tire-treads too thin for public safety. Speeding and reckless driving is going to be especially checked and stopping at stop signs on through streets will be insisted upon. In other words obey the traffic laws, you drivers, if you want to keep without the clutches of the law.

While we're on the subject of traffic safety, county authorities might do well to investigate ways and means to cut down on the number of accidents occurring on the Overseas Highway.

A number of accidents on the highway have occurred lately and there is danger that news of these mishaps may cause prospective visitors to the Island City to pause to reflect upon whether or not the drive can be negotiated with safety.

Until such a time as we can obtain the extension of the highway over the old railroad right-of-way (it may not be long now) there are portions of the road that, to the uninitiated, are quite dangerous, especially on rainy days and nights. Key Westers know the road and regular visitors drive with caution, yet even some of these meet up with accidents.

Increased patrolling of the highway, outside the limits of the Bridge District, where practically no accidents have occurred, would be one step that could be taken. Patrolmen act to cut down excessive speeds and warn strangers of danger spots. Better markings on the road, too, would be a help.

These are "Drive Safely" days in Key West. Let's make the move one of county-wide importance. We would like to see Monroe County entered on the list of "minimum accident" counties.