Evening Star Newspaper, May 4, 1930, Page 65

KNOWING TRAFE, ( MEDENT CLRE Removal of Reckless and Willful Drivers Also Urged as Factor. Education of thoughtful people in the knowledge of traffic regulations and re- moval of reckless and willful violators from the streets and Toads through suspension or revocation of drivers’ per- mits_are the most effective means of i accidents and romoting .r:?:lcynz in the opinion of the traffiic administrative and judicial officials in the District of Columbia. ‘More than three-fourths of the hold- ers of drivers’ permits in_the District of Columbia have never had a mark laced on their records in the Traffic jureau. ‘The figures in percentages| are 7692 per cent have no violations d the remaining ?ll.otsl per cent have ‘average of two violations apiece. “lflll :h‘ln 10 per cent of the 174,000 Heensed drivers have been charged with a serious traffic violation, 4 per cent are known as_chronic viol.mns.fl“an‘l:fii7 Le‘s: Similarity of Conditions. - . O. Eldridge, assistant director of Ir:‘mc in Wuhgfa’ton. believes that this dri ' permits have been in accidents on the street ‘where | the driver was clearly at fault and rep- resenting carelessness and recklessness. Instruction of both drivers and pedes- trians in rules of safety and knowledge of traffic regulations and control through the police power of the 4 to 10 per cent of incompetent or reckless drivers, in the view of Mr. Eldridge, represents the p;ilmlry step in solving e accident problem. '.hDuflng the ‘;'en.r ended June 30, 1929, sutomobile registrations in Washington increased 23,519 over the year before, ROAD WIDENIN MOVE UNDER WAY e Progress Seen as Bringing Relief From Traffic Ill to Thousands. given to the construction of wide roads and parallel roads, according to E. E. Duffy, highway educational writer. While the movement has just begun, the necessity is fully realized, and slowly but surely the motorist in congested areas is being given relief. For example, Illinois, with rural road construction now well under way, will in the next three years spend $22,500,000 .[in and near Chicago in road widening, d 8,491 in is attributed to the operation of the drivers’ license law. Causes of Accidents. The principal causes of accidents in 1928-29, in the order of their frequency, were:. Reckless driving, failure to give right of way, turning in the street, care- Jess driving, skidding, driving while in- lo-% control, backing, failure defective equipment, and ‘The chief causes of accidents where destrians presumably were at fault, the order of their frequency, were: Jay walking, children playing in the street, walking in the street, stepping from behind parked cars, inattention, crossing streets against signals, and stepping from behind passing cars. CAR DRIVER SAFER THAN PASSENGER Baltimore Police Report Reveals 289 to 171 Ratio in Acci- dents This Year, Wpecial Dispatch to The St to figures of the Safety incil. ‘The report, which contains figures taken from the records of the police department, reveals the passengers in- jured in auto accidents is considerably more numerous than the number of drivers injured. ‘The number of passengers injured, fatally or otherwise, during the first three months of the current year was 289, as compared with 171 drivers who met similar fates. ‘The number of passengers injured during the first three months of last year was 254, as compared with 177 drivers. The figures for the corre- sponding period of 1928 are: Passen- gers, 224; drivers, 150. ‘The report of the committee stressed the fact that more than 15 per cent of those injured in auto accidents receive fractures of the skull or of other parts of the body, many of them being haimed for life, ‘The number of auto fatalities in Bal- fmore during the four weeks ended April 19 was 10, as compared with 8 for the corresponding period of 1929. During the 52 weeks ended April 19 'there were 127 deaths caused by auto accidents. There were 133 auto fatali- ties during the same period of last year. ROAD MAPS ISSUED FOR NEW JERSEY 3930 Copies Sent Free on Applica- tion to State Highway Coms mission Secretary. Enlarged and revised road maps of Mew Jersey have been printed by the Btate Highway Commission and are now yeady for distribution. ‘Those who desire a copy of the new. 030 edition may obtain one without eost, by writing to A. Lee Grover, sec- Fetary of State Highway Commission, House Annex, Trenton. The ap- Ez\lnu have been requested to print r names and addresses clearly to #woid delays in the forwarding. ‘The 1930 map is the first to be issued @y J. L. Bauer, State highway engineer, Wwho had the Highway Commission adopt the plan for a map in colors and with $nore legible printing. The new map is inches wide and 40 inches long, mak- hg it six inches wider than the former smap and 10 inches longer. To make it easier to follow the route numbers four colors have been used in this year gmung. The compilations were made W. T. Campbell. One of the new features has been the marking of the airports of the State by a drawing of an airplane. The U. 6. highways through New Jersey are designated as well as the approximate mileages of the different thoroughfares. Other features include pictures of the magnificent new $1,500,000 bridge con- structed across the Raritan River at New Brunswick for route 25, the State's super-roadway and “The Cloverleaf” separations of traffic by the bridging of route 25 over route 4, the seashore building 40-foot pavements and in constructing parallel relief arteries. The Michigan State Highway Department is now working out a plan with Detroit to 'xl‘den State routes leading through the city. Baltimore-Washington Work. A 40-foot pavement will soon connect Baltimore and Washington, D. C. Dal- las, Tex, is surrounding itself with a 40-foot concrete bypass route out sev- eral miles from the city. Thirty-five miles of pavement on this Northwest highway have already been bullt or let to contract. Seattle and Tacoma, Wash,, will this year be joined for the most part by a “double-barreled” concrete pavement. Down in North Carolina, Charlotte and Gastonia motorists hurry between the two cities over a 40-foot pavement 17 miles long. Relocation, better handling of curves and more space has reduced the motor time between the two cities from 1 hour and 30 minutes to about 35 minutes. & As yet this country néed not fear that the building of wide pavements is pro- miscuous. The traffic volumes between Detroit and Chicago, Chicago and Mil- waukee, Dallas and Fort Worth, Detroit and Toledo, New York and Boston, and elsewhere ce ly warrant 40-foot pavements all the way. Increase of Traffic. ‘Traffic surveys reveal that almost without exception traffic volumes imme- diately increase when smooth pave- ments are built, when parallel roads are paved and when wide pavements are built or narrow pavements widened. ‘Traffic facilities constructed 10 years ago are - hopelessly inadequate today. The least that a community can -do is to provide wide rights of way now, so that if present finances do not permit wide pavements construction there will be room to expand in the future. So far building wide roads adjacent to cities has not been accomplished at the expense of rural road building. Cities contribute large amounts of money to State road building funds through gasoline taxes and license fees, and in too many instances they have not been getting their just desserts in both road mileage and width. However, activity throughout the country indicates that only those com- munities that wholly lack progress will be without comparatively ample traffic gonv;nlence! at the end of the next ecade. MT. HARMONY ROAD CONTRACT AWARDED ‘Washington Motorists to Save Five Miles by Improvement Leading to Chesapeake Beach. Special Dispatch to The Sta BALTIMORI May —With the awarding of a contract by the State Roads Commission this week for the improving of Mount Harmony road in Calvert County, which connects the Southern Maryland Boulevard with the Chesapeake Beach roa saving of ap- proximately 5 miles for Washington motorists to the resort will be effected. The contract, which calls for 2.77 miles of graveled road, was awarded to E. Roy Jones of Havre de Grace, on his hid of $21089.50 and work will start within 10 days. The road is now completed with the exception of the 2.77 miles, and when this section is improved will enable motorists from Washington to go direct from the Crane Highway and Upper Marlboro to Chesapeake Beach by way of Mount Harmony, instead of going by way of Mount Zion, g 8 straight route from Washington to Chesapeake Beach. At the same time the commission awarded a contract for the completion of the road connecting Cookesville, in Howard County, with Olney, in Mont- gomery County, which is an extension of the Brookville pike, a distance of 1.94 miles gravel road, to the M. J. Grove Lime Co., at its bid of $57,798.75. ‘The commission also awarded a con- tract for completing the gravel road connecting Laurel, at the Washington boulevard, to Bowie. a distance of 2.71 miles, to W. C. Briddell Co., on its bid of $18999.20. Work on both of the l;ltfl‘ contracts will also start within 10 ays. AUTO DISPLAY PLANNED Engineers to Celebrate Twenty-fifth Anniversary in Indiana. Plans for the celebration of the twen- ty-fifth anniversary of the Socpiet;el;f Automotive Engineers to be held at , near Rahway. Separate maps also given of the North Jersey terri- near New York, South Jersey sec- near Philadelphia and the new 8-26, which skirts the busi- center of New Brunswick, on the Efiem«h e o map of the entire ‘Three million six hundred thousand ‘arloads of automobile freight in 1929, lions of loads were carried by trucks French Lick Springs Hotel, French Lick, Ind, May 25 to 29, include le;ltmn- tation of a number of historic motor cars and accessories, automotive events which have osouer w in the past 25 years, . C i vmx Goldberg owns 23 parking ‘- a9 At last effective attention is being| THE SUNDAY 1eft of the road ights,just - bifiem apm]g Braddock. Braddock on the illfited fo Yort Duquesne in l75g. STAR, TRAFFIC SAFER IN CAPITAL WITH DRIVERS’ LICENSE LAW Police Survey Shows Difficulties Being Met Under Conditions Complicated by Large Percentage of Qut-of-Town Motorists. Safer and better driving on the streets of Washington has resulted from the operation of the drivers’ license law, according to statistics of the District of Columbia police authorities, and mani- fested in a sharp reduction in the volume of accidents and traffic injuries in recent years as measured by the total number of registered automobiles. Density of traffic on the streets of ‘Washington approximates that of any other city of similar size in the country, especially during “rush hours,” and with a larger admixture of motorists from other states probably than is found anywhere else. This gives to the traffic condition in Washington an in- tricate and complex problem of super- vision and regulation. The police estimate that one-fourth of the automobiles on the streets at all hours are registered in other states, while one-third of the licensed drivers in the District of Columbia are resi- dents of other states temporarily living in Washington. ‘Traffic rules and regulations in the District of Columbia in many essential aspects follow the uniform vehicle code and model municipal ordinance spon- sored by the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety. However, the varying and differing regulations in effect in other states to which visitors and tourists are accustomed constantly introduce new and strange factors into the Washington traffic situation. Capital's Need for Uniformity. ‘The need for uniformity in traffic laws and regulations throughout the country, pointed out by the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety as equally pressing in every large center of population, is probably no- where else so clearly maiifest as in the g{-ls;.glr situation in the National pital. Careful and conservative drivers from other States not infrequently find themselves in conflict with local traffic rules to which they are strangers. Un- licensed and sometimes inexpert drivers from elsewhere are often confused unfamiliar practices in the handling of the traffic movement. Existing regulations for licensing drivers have been in effect in the Dis- trict of Columbia for approximately five years, with 174,000 persons holding per- mits this year. The examinations are given by “policemen who have been specially trained in traffic work and selected for their task for familiarity with the conditions which confront the motorist in the streets. The test for the drivers’ license is not severe, but it is thorough and compre- hensive. It covers all of the factors in driving that commonly lead to acci- dents, including tests of eyesight, abil- ity to read traffic signs, familiarity with the mechanism of automobiles and Rbflitinw operate them in dense traffic, and owledge and understanding of traffic regulations. Permits must be renewed once in three years. The renewal examinations are strict if the previous record of the applicant shows a number of traffic violations or he has been involved in a serious accident. Third Fail First Test. One-third of the applicants fail to pass the driving test on the first at- tempt, according to Traffic Officer Joseph G. Dellamico, who has exam- ined thousands of applicants for per- mits, and coming from all of the States and many of the foreign countries. Some of the applicants make three, four and five attempts before they are passed as competent to operate auto- mobiles under all conditions of traffic on the streets. Officer Dellamico said: “Accident prevention begins at the desks in the Traffic Bureau, where ap- plicants for permits are examined as to their knowledge and fitness to oper- ate automobiles, The care and scrutiny that is given to each one of these appli- cations and the fulfillment of the responsibility that rests on a fair and thorough test in each case may be the means of saving the lives of children playing in the streets or on their way to and from school. It certainly con- tributes to the safety of other motorists on the streets and highways. “These tests are not severe, but they are thorough. The permit system repre- sents organized responsibility among drivers of cars. For the person who has mastered the operation of an auto- mobile and has studied and learned the traffic regulations they are simple and easy. For the person who is physically unsuited or unequipped to operate a car they are a safety measure in behalf of the motorists and pedes- trians on the streets and roads.” In 1929 the Traffic Bureau gave 52,908 examinations for drivers’ per- mits. Of this number 39,088 passed the test and 13,820 failed to . In some instances as many as five tests were given before the permit was issued. Applicants who come from States elsewhere that have strict traffic regu- lations find little difficulty in the test in the District of Col said Mr, Dellamico. He added: “Very seldom does a resident of Mas- sachusetts, New Jersey or Pennsylvania who has operated an automobile in one of those States, where the regulations are strict and drivers are licensed, fail to pass the test here. In almost ev instance they are found to be wel qualified drivers. Difficulties of Test. “On the other hand, applicants from States where the regulations are less rigorous and mere registration of an automobile gives the owner the unre- stricted right to drive on any road in the State frequently have difficulty in passing the test 3: their knowledge of our traffic regulations. 8 “Prom my observation of the steady) stream of applicants who have passed) through the Traffic Bureau, I am con- i that the drivers’ license measure is a strong deterrent in the accident situation and a very material instru ment in promoting safe and sane driy. ing lumbia, in whose eyesight is defective and clearly should not operate an automo- bile without the corrective effect of glasses. This improvement in vision, which 1s required before the permit is issued, reduces the hazard to pedes- trians in crossing the streets at night and prevents confusion of traffic sig- nals with lights over fire alarm boxes 'nlnd other {llumination in the night ours.” Inspector E. W. Brown, assistant superintendent of police in charge of the Trafic Bureau, pointed out that the power to suspend or revoke permits for cause is probably the strongest instru- ment in promoting compliance with cannot buy ]E'iner Once you have looked over the Nash “400” you will wonder why anyone pays more for a motor car. There is no car that steers more easily 0 this rustic of Antietam ough of the Ctvil War with Lee and MClellan the op) peace and. the battlefield. ETIETE _rest_everywhere along the regulations and encouraging ‘careful driving. He said: “When four or five violations appear on the record of a license holder the ‘Traffic Bureau asks him to come in for It is found in many in- not sufficiently or is & conference. stances that he cumbersome car.” Inspector Brown pointed to the need in the District of Columbia for a law providing for the inspection of motor vehicles. Provisions of this nature have been vigorously urged by the committee on maintenance of motor vehicles of the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, and have been adopted by a number of States and in many cities of the country. spector Brown said: conceive a law of this kind to be equally important to that of licensing drivers. Applicants come to us for per- mits to drive cars that have been pur- chased for $5 and $10 apiece and mani- festly are unsafe to Ins) 3 Creek still floug.‘wa's, f is familiar with the regulations suffering from a physicai defect or handicap that makes his presence be- hind the wheel of a car a source of danger to. other motorists or persons at street intersections. This may be due to defective vision or lack of physi- cal strength to operate a heavy and t one of the most severe battles ©Avenican Hisway Escamona. Bures run on the streets. “‘Every automobile should be inspected €T1tle registered U. 8. Patent Office) ing mcpol:-l WASHINGTON, D. C, MAY %, 1930—PART FOUR. —BY enerals. Today, B o at stated intervals as to the condition of the brakes, steering apparatus, gears and headlights. A car with defective brakes or worn steering apparatus is just as unsafe on the streets as a driver with bad vision. It is an injustice to careful drivers and the owners of safe vehicles, as well as pedestrians, to allow l:wmobfl&s in this condition on the streets. “Police pcwer to condemn an unsafe and unfit automobile should go hand in hand with the flower to prohibit an un- safe and unskilled person to drive a car. “When we consider the number of school children that cross the streets every day and that a goodly percentage of the persons at each street crossing are pedestrians, it is clear that the| measure of police supervision should ex- | tend to the mechanical fitness and safety of cars. “From my observation I think that | both pedestrians and the vast majority | of motorists realize this fact. Super- vision in its proper function should | cover both the man at the wheel and the automobile he is driving. “Defective brakes, or brakes that do not work properly on rainy days, are a: | much a menace as runaway automobiles. | The same thing is true of headlights that are not working properly and dc not. g{ve ‘warning of the approach of a a the motorist. turns down Antietam Creek ,below Burnside Bridge . Here the historic stream becomes Elysian. indeed as it flows under the cooling branches of over- thanging trees.The road is Elysian, too. NEXT-To Williamspott via Hagerstown.. night—in nearly every case, an ! h JAMES W. BROOKS. (Sketches by Calvin A. Fader.) i i — Sense of haste 15 153t a5 automobile that is otherwise mechani- cally defective. It is true also of worn and uncertain steering apparatus. “The drivers’ license law is one-half of the initial accident prevention. The other half, which also represents pro- tection and safety of all motorists and pedestrians, is inspection of the me- chanical condition of automobiles and the elimination of faulty and defective equipment, just as the incompetent and unsafe driver is removed from the :‘tfieflng wheel under the drivers’ license BAN ON BAD GLASS Massachusetts Requires “Non-Scat- terable” Quality in Autos. The Legislature of Massachusetts passed House bill 1310 last week, which requires the use of non-scatterable vlass in all motor vehicles carrying passengers for hire in the State. The term ‘“non-scatterable glass” is defined as any glass designed to minimize the likelthood of personal injury from breaking. The bill becomes effective on January 31, 1931. Massachusetts is the first State to adopt safety ltf.lh- ti‘o;;dooklng to the elimination of this igher Price s 7 PASSENGER AUTO QUTPUT STEADY Little Change as Compared With Week Ago Shown by Cram Report. Passenger-car production at the pres- ent time shows little change as com- pared with a week ago, current output continuing on the same basis as has been in effect during the past two or three weeks, according to B. H. Cram, president of Cram’s Automotive Re- ports, Inc. While the April total will show a healthy gain over March, there is as yet no indication that May schedules will be materially increased from the present rate of operations. Passenger- car sales continue to show a steady im- provement and while improvement is slow, it is definitely apparent. A study of the retail market at the present time shows that the best gains are being made in the medium price class and cars in this group are receiving con- siderably more attention from the gl::: lic at the present time than has the case at any other time since the first of the year. Truck production likewise, still holds at steady levels, with the only im it gains being noted in the light delivery division. The responsibility for this lies in the increased activity of the pas- senger-car manufacturers who build chassis of this type. Sales are generally classified as fair, with little change in demand apparent. Bus sales are falling off slightly and the trend is definitely downward at this time in this division. New Automobile Service. Automobiles are coming into a new service—that of acting as feeder trans- portation to airplanes. With the fur- ther development of airways, with planes flYlnrs on scheduled routes, the automobile is supplementing this swift aerial transportation by providing fast, e?mforubu passage to and from the a z Battery & Ignition Service EXIDE BATTERIES CREEL BROTHERS 1811 14th St. N.W, Decatur 4220 ]@erformanc o or handles more delightfully. There is no car that is more beautifully proportioned as to body lines or more distinctive in design. And Nash engineering is recognized thruout the Jindustry as outstanding. The power of the “400” is exceptional SINGLE SIX $935 to $1155 ’ All prices f. 0. bs factory— Convenient Monthly Payment Plan if Desired NASH 400 WALLACE MOTOR COMPANY Rétail Salesrooms, 1709 L Street N.W. Robt. J. Nash Motor Co, 1419 Irving St. N.W. Birvon Nash Motor Co. larendon, Ve, reper. Va. rmviile, Va. Thehbars, V. Read These Nash “400”’ Features Centralized chassis lubrication, built-in, automatic radiator shutters, and the world’s easiest steering in and, you would not believe a car could pickupsuchspeedinsoshortadistance, And we can prove it. See a Nash “400” before you decide on your new car. every model. Adjustable front seats. Steel spring cow erswith lifetime spring lubrication in the Twin-Ignition TWIN-IGNITION SIX $1325 to $1745 Distributor AUTHORIZED WASHINGTON NASH DEALERS' HAWKINS-NASH MOTOR CO. k% 1529 14th Street N.W. Decatur 3320 Territory Dealers. 45 Mot st Beterssure. Va. North Kine St. v 815Fifth St Eight and Twin-Ignition Six lines. The priceless pro- tection at no extra cost of Duplate, non-shatterable plate glass in all doors, windows, and windshields thruout the Twin-Ignition Eight line. This glassisalso available at slight extra cost in all other Nash cars. TWIN-IGNITION EIGHT $1675 to $2385 Decatur 2280 Hall-Kerr Motor Co. 131 B Potter Nash Motor Silver Spring, Md. i St. S.E, Co,