Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Before “Accident,” Deadly Driving Was “Homicide By Automobile”

11:27 AM EDT on August 6, 2015

In the early 20th century “chauffeur” was synonymous with “motorist,” and by 1906 Life Magazine had had enough of them.

Newspaper cartoon from 1923. Via 99% Invisible
Newspaper cartoon from 1923, when the press still recognized traffic violence as a motorist problem. Via 99% Invisible

Doug Gordon at Brooklyn Spoke dug up a column titled “Get After the Chauffeurs,” in which Life reported on a two-vehicle crash in Central Park that killed several people, including the driver who caused the collision. “That one got his dues,” the magazine said. “His reckless driving was a crime. The result was homicide. If he had not been killed he should have been sent to State’s prison.”

The column questions why reckless chauffeurs go unpenalized for their “antics,” and compares “homicide by automobile” to “homicide with a gun.”

From Life:

There will be some legitimate automobile accidents, just as there are runaway-horse accidents, but they should be few. Horses are irresponsible, and cannot be punished for running away. Chauffeurs, as a rule, are very imperfectly responsible, but they can be punished for running away and held accountable for the harm they do.

Gordon notes that today, it's the mainstream media that empathize with the chauffeurs while people who decry traffic violence are now called “advocates."

Compare the above to stories of drivers who “lost control” of their cars before killing innocent victims. In some cases, news sites such as DNAInfo.com even describe the car itself as the thing that was “out-of-control,” never mentioning a driver, as if the car was some sort of sentient animal that got spooked. Like, say, a horse.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Greater Greater Washington reports on plans to bring housing and transit to the Seven Corners area of Fairfax, Virginia; and Washington Bikes says Kidical Mass is taking off in Washington State.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Monday’s Headlines Are All About Pete

From trying to avert a government shutdown to promoting rail safety, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in the midst of a busy week.

September 25, 2023

What is the Life of a Dead Pedestrian Worth?

A Seattle police officer sparked outrage when he joked that the death of pedestrian Jaahnavi Kandula might be settled for as little as $11,000. Some families get even less.

September 25, 2023

Why Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled Matters

“Our job now is to prioritize solutions that mitigate the impacts of climate change while equitably improving quality of life. To do so we need to rethink how we build so Californians can drive less."

September 22, 2023

Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out

Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.

September 22, 2023

Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers

"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."

September 22, 2023
See all posts