Our Worst Accident, 1945

North Carolina winners from a farm safety contest that judged letter submitted by readers entitled “Our Worst Accident.” Prize-winning letters were published in the February 1945 issue of The Southern Planter magazine. Winners each received $2.

The worst accident I our home happened one night when I went to sleep and left the kerosene lamp burning. The lamp exploded and set the house on fire. Common sense and safety say, “Never go to bed or leave the house while an oil lamp is still burning. And don’t turn it down too low at any time.”

--Miss M.C., N.C.

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A family on our farm left their two boys, age 9 and 7, to care for their 2 ½-year old brother while the parents were away from the house. The older boys were playing with their father’s shotgun when it accidentally fired, killing the baby instant. Prevention: Never leave a loaded gun where children can get their hand on it.

--Mrs. M.C.B., N.C.

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An automobile accident on the highway near my home at 3 o’clock in the morning just before Christmas killed 9 boys and 3 girls, and seriously injured another girl and a man. Coming back from a dance, the cars stopped at a filling station. One of the cars drove on, returning a few minutes later, looking for the other when the two cars, traveling at a terrific speed, collided. Automobile sin the hands of young people late at night are dangerous to a degree that parents, youth and authorities must cooperate actively to avoid death, destruction and suffering.

--Mrs. C.W.M., N.C.

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Last summer I was driving a tractor on our farm with a sleigh hooked on behind. My 5-year old nephew was riding, standing up, on the sleigh, when it hit a rock. He was thrown off with his arm under the sleigh and dragged some distance before I saw him. He had to be taken to the hospital. The injury could have been avoided had the boy be sitting on the sleigh, or better, on the tractor with me.

--C.W., N.C.

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Slick-soled shoes caused the most serious accident in this section. My neighbor was walking down steps wearing a pair of new shoes when her feet slipped from under her. She fell and broke a leg. Had she sandpapered or scuffed the new soles before wearing the shoes, the fall would have been avoided.

--Mrs. W.F., N.C.