In
that.
Do any good.
Now no victim
male age about thirty five their brown eyes blue.
Those are the cold impersonal cystic set down in the police records.
The official summing up of the sudden tragedy
that struck just outside Medford village last night.
But the causes of tragedies are seldom sudden they grow out of human frailty
and this case was no exception because I believe this story of death by violence is
one of widespread interest.
I'm going to turn back the pages of the calendar for a few days
and introduce you to some of the principals in it.
This is the house
that Howard Johnson built about ten years ago in Medford It's just like
thousands of other servant houses but it's home
and a happy one with Alan Johnson and Errol Jr
and Little Barbara and Helen Johnson the lord
and master it doesn't just happen to be a happy home.
It's
that way because how like the average American parent works hard to keep itself.
He's careful about the health of his children and of the old
and still it's not smart to have the breadwinner come down and say
that he's cautious about people getting hurt women will do the darndest thing a man
has to lay down the law.
Sometimes
but it's not growing by
that really keeps him hopping Of course you have to give a boy knives and to.
If you don't want him to cut an arm all that life is for fun
but you have to respect it always carb away from you.
It's dangerous unless used properly is considerate of his fellow man too.
That's the way he was brought up give the other fellow a bright little button left
in our plans for the future to the best of his ability.
It takes some juggling of the figures to stretch the family budget for the most
unwise of protection and he may have to sacrifice some very desirable things
but even if he's not around to see it as wife and get perhaps security
and education but don't think that being a careful family man
and a conscientious citizen.
He power from having a good time is a crack shot at all never fails to bring down
his quota and sees
and in keeping with his usual attitude toward think is one thing matters are very
good is God is always a where somebody is no where there's a chance of a misfire
eliminates that chance shotgun
and beating if you're going to enjoy it and live. You have to respect it.
Even though I've been building him up.
I don't think Howard Johnson is a very unusual sort of a die just well the average
American citizen and family man. The kind that are the backbone of the nation.
I admire him. I'm like I like his attitude.
Until that it gets behind the wheel of an automobile at
that point he changed it changes from a careful considered citizen to a matter
for some reason when he has a ton
and a half of moving steel given by over one hundred horsepower responding to his
thoughts. Is consideration for the other fellow disappear.
You guys consistently on the same speed
or maybe within the posted speed limit but on a wet
or slippery road and has no real control over his car at fifty five.
It's a confirmed bumper chase you stay right behind the car
and proud of him so close
that if anything should happen to the other fellow neither of them would have a
ghost of a chance he doesn't seem to realize
that at the speed he is traveling His car has the same impact as if it were dropped
from an eight story building in classic is that we are going in
and out of LA or want to gain a few seconds
or maybe to get a little prayer a lot of money and sinners is driving skill
and judgement
that little frail is going to be purchased barely one day at the price of torn
mutilated body and projects heart broken pile that inevitable day
when he doesn't quite make it back to the right plane in time I said
that Howard Johnson was an average American citizen.
Well the tragic part of it is
that he's an average American driver to he would be righteously indignant.
If you told him
that he was a dangerous driver why he's been driving for fifteen years
and never had a bad accident he would tell you
that accidents are caused by drunken drivers
or teenagers always the other fellow of course such offenders do take their toll.
But the an escape but fact is
that eighty five percent of fatal automobile accidents are caused by the average
driver solid citizens nice people like our jobs like most of you in the
office. Last year thirty two thousand of our fellow.
Citizens men women and children.
Met with sudden horrible death at the hands of the careless driver.
And that's not the whole story more than a million were injured many of them
crippled for life in one year.
Well I said I was going to turn the calendar back a few days now I'm going to turn
it forward. To last night.
Alan Alan Johnson had been to the home of friends for dinner
and a few hands of bridge after they left for home about nine thirty.
No there wasn't any drinking just a few coke and it was still early.
Nobody felt time there was not a hurry.
Either there was a set or home with the children
but how many of the roads like a book
and just from force of habit he soon had the car rolling.
They didn't think anything about it they felt just the same in
that hurtling shell of steel as they had in their friends' living room.
The family car is such a familiar thing just outside Medford they overtook the
truck. There's a long curve in the road there
but hell figured on passing him in a matter of seconds.
He pulled out and started to pass then suddenly around the curve there
or head might know
when to get non-subscribers it was
over so quickly in a flat out run back.
He got the innocent driver the victim out of the wreck.
Still briefly and then other cars stopped and the people came
and the state police took over. They were very calm and efficient.
They took care of everything
and there wasn't anything for Howard to do except to stand
and wonder about the still figure under the black did he.
Maybe have a home and a wife and two kids and how prayed that he would live
and be well again. And then I don't think the absence will do any good.
Now.
You'll have to come with me.
Medford last night is significant because something very like it.
And every five and a half minutes on the streets
and highways right across the country. Why must this go on.
Why must more than a million people be killed
or injured this year because of a stranger's carelessness a friend's carelessness
or your own carelessness. They don't approve.
So that out if you have driving it on the same speed a bumper chasing.
Following the car ahead too closely of driving in the wrong lane
or trying to pass at the wrong time of improper turning of ignoring
stop signs or beating the light.
It's a deadly weapon far more deadly on the record than any gun.
And yes like a god if you want to use it. Enjoy it live and let live.
You've got to respect
that weapon under your hand driving laws are made to help you keep.