Life — November 1932 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# The "Accident" Alibi This is a **public safety advertisement** from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, not political satire. The illustration shows two figures—apparently a woman on stairs and another person below—depicting a domestic accident scenario. The ad's central argument: most "accidents" are actually preventable through basic care. It lists common home hazards (unlit stairs, cluttered floors, gas leaks, unlabeled poisons) and challenges readers to honestly assess whether recent injuries in their lives were truly unavoidable or resulted from carelessness. The "alibi" in the title suggests people falsely blame luck when accidents stem from neglect. The piece compares home accident deaths (29,000 annually) to automobile deaths, arguing that industry successfully reduces workplace accidents through inspection—homes should adopt similar safety practices.