See How Photographers Caught Car Wrecks In The Past
by AutoExpert | 26 October, 2021
While dealing with the Great Depression, the United States also faced a growing concern about road safety during the 1910s and 1930s, as more and more accidents occurred on the country's roadways every day. The photographer Leslie Jones, who worked for the Boston Herald-Traveller from 1917 to 1956, amassed this collection of images.
He enjoyed taking pictures of car accidents, and that was one of his favorite hobbies. Thousands of pics of numerous incidents were taken by him in the 1930s. Some of them appear dramatic, while others may amuse you, but they all depict a driver's not-so-happy experience.
Between 1910 and 1930, the United States was gripped by the Great Depression and a cultural panic about road safety. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a letter to state governors at the time, requesting that they limit the growing number of deaths and injuries caused by automobile accidents.
To address the accident problem, the first step was to strengthen driver checks and promote public awareness. The National Safety Council collated accident records, held conferences, and sponsored "safety weeks" in several locations by the early 1920s. New drunk driving rules were also established.
As the number of accidents rose, automakers began to recognize their mistakes and design defects, and they attempted to improve the safety of their vehicles. Many manufacturers equipped their cars with crash-worthy windshields and brakes in the 1920s. The carmakers promoted the new safety features aggressively throughout the 1930s. Steel bodies and hydraulic brakes, for example, were in high demand throughout the industry.
