When President Reagan announced formation of a presidential commission on drunk driving and a campaign for seat belt use he commented that the nation is “outraged” by the camage on the highways. He had good reasons for both the action and the comment: – Fifty thousand Americans die annually on the streets and highways, about as many as were killed in the Vietnam War. – Approximately 3.5 million are injured, 250,000 seriously enough to be hospitalized and about 3,000 crippled for life. – Roughly half of the fatal accidents involve drinking drivers, – Use of seat belts, a proven factor in preventing injury and death, continues low around 10 percent. Reagan claimed fatalities could have been halved if all victims had been using belts. A lot of factors contribute to the traffic toll, with drinking and speeding leading the parade. Driver error, increasing traffic, road hazards, faulty equipment, a bigger percentage of small cars which offer better gas mileage hut less protection – these are among those factors. The twopronged effort announced by Reagan is timely. Nationwide safety drives seem to have waned somewhat with a downtum in fatalities that followed application of the 55 milesper-hour speed limit as an energy – saving device. in 1973 there were 55,511 highway deaths in America. The speed limit was cut in 19’I4 – and that year fatalities dropped to 46,200. Possibly because of less diligence in sticking to the 55 mph limit, the toll began inching upward, reaching 50,745 in 1979 and 51.077 in 1900. A downtum to 49,125 last year likely was influenced by less recession driving, say safety experts. Reagan’s fomiation of a presidential commission to combat drunk driving followed a congressional initiative last fall when Reps. Jim Hansen, R-Utah and Michael Bames, DMd. presented him with a petition signed by 300 members of Congress pro sing the step. Tm panel will promote increasing public awareness 0 the problem, develop model legislation for states, and call for tougher sanctions against drunk drivers. The companion drive for seat belt use will be pressed by public interest, business, and entertainment groups with a goal to sharply increase the percentage of motorists who use the safety device. The Washington – initiated drives can succeed only as the National consciousness is aroused as governors, legislatures, local officials, PTAs, civic groups and the rank and file join the effort. And while the big thrust appropriately will be to combat drimk drivingwand dispel apathy on seat lts, it could well generate a secondary drive against speeding and other violations which contribute to the safety problem.