Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-23
TO PUNISH SCORCHING
Commissioners Bill to Regulate
Speed of Automobiles.
PROVIDES SEVERE PENALTY
For Third Offense Years Imprison-
ment May Be Imposed.
DEFECT OF THE SIMS MEASURE
Claimed That 1t omits Many Features
Which Experience Has Shown
to Be Essential
PROVIDES SEVERE PENALTY
DEFECT OF THE SIMS MEASURE

The passage of stringent bill to pun
fsh automobiIists who speed their ma chimes
in the District OF Columbia was recon-
mended by the District Commissioners to-
day. The bill, which was drawn with the
distinct purpose of preventing the speeding
of motor cars in this city. provides a more
severe penalty than is on the books
of any state III the country. tor ordinary
violations of the regula tions other than ex-
cessive speeding the bill provides penalty
of from 81 to $40 fine. For a first offense
of speeding a fine Of from 50 to 500 is au-
thorized: for a second offense fine of
from $40 to 500, and tor the third orTense
a fine of from $50 to $3.50 and imprison-
ment for from ten days to one year.
either or both The Commissioners bill
also covers the reckless or fast driving of
horse-drawn vehicles.
Defect of the Sims Bill.
In their report on the Sims automobile
bill to Chairman Babcock of the House Dis
trict committee the Commissioners say that
they early recognized the necessity of regu-
lating the use of the public thoroug hfares
by automobilists and adopted series of
regulations relating to the rate of speed, the
use or signal warnings, the display of lamps
the identifying of each machine by num-
ber and SO forth, the validity of these reg
ulations being promptly sustained as a re-
suit Of test case brought In the court.
The report continues:
"As experience developed their inadeauacy
to meet every exigency the Regulations We're
amended until now they are believed by the
Commissioners to afford ample safeguards
to the public If they are implicitly o5eyed
and all violations vigorously punished. The
measure under consideration, In fact, does
not materially add to the existing regula-
tfons while 1t does omit many features
which experience has shown to be essential.
These regulations, It is true, already have
the force and effect of law, but the Com
missioners believe that it would be wise to
give them congressional sanction, and the
substitute bill herewith transmitted en-
bodies this suggestion.
The most serious objection to the auto
mobile is the speed at which'ft is frequently
driven on public thoroughfares. The abate-
ment of this evil is entrusted to a detail OF
bicycle policemen.
Over 400 Arrests in Year
''rhe activity of this force is shown by
the fact that during the calendar year 1905
there were between 400 and 500 arrests for
infractons of the automobile regulations, of
which 2i6 Were prosecutions based on yio-
lations of the speed limit An analysis of
these latter cases shows that fifteen per-
sons We're twice, four persons were three
times and two persons four times arrested
and convicted of violations of the speed
regulations. .
'The amount of fines collected during
the year from these 2i6 violators was s., 26s.
The maximum fine of $40 was assessed only
once during the year, the average of the
fines being less than $40. Repetition OF
the offense did not apparently determine
the amount of the fine The general prac-
tice seems TO have been to impose PEN
atty of IS for the first offense, $40 for the
second offense and $40 for the third Of
fense. But more than once the first offense
was penaliZed more heavily than the second
offense while the person who was arrested
four times was assessed $40 for the first
offense and $5 for the last offense. 1t Is
evident from this that the Police Court
takes cognizance of the facts surrounding
the offense rather than the mere repetition
of the violation.
Laws of the States.
although the Commissioners believe that
a vigorous enforcement of the penalty pro-
vided by the regulations would go far
toward restraining the fast running of au-
tomobiles, 1t is realized that occasions might
arise wherein the imposition of fine for
overspeeding would be totally inadequate
as punishment. Several of the states al
ready recognize this fact and provide i'm
prisonment as alternative punishment.
I'm Alabama there Is a penalty or from
$25 to S100 for a first offense and from sou
to 500 for subsequent offenses with an
alternative of thirty days to six months in
jail for the offender. In Connecticut the
penalty is fine of $500 or under. or thirty
Gays IN JAIL In INlnolS me VI ifoiIi SIo
to 500 is the penalty, or three months in
Jail; Maine. $50 ten days; Missouri, 800
to 81 600 and thirty days to six months;
New York, first offense, less than 500;
third offense, 800 to $25c~ or thirty days;
Pennsylvania, $40 to $100 or thirty days;
Rhode Island, $40 or three months; YER
mont, 500 or fifteen days.
The Commissioners say in their report
that they have been informed that 1t Is
rarely necessary to impose the imprison-
ment penalty. which indicates to them that
''would-be reckless automobiiists nave
wholesome fear of involuntary confine-
ment."
Deem Imprisonment Penalty Neces-
sary.
In closing the Commissioners say: "The
Commissioners believe that an fmprison-
ment law ought to be enacted for the
District of Columbia. but suggest that the
mandatory language Of the proposed meas
ure might well be amended so as to con-
form to the statutes OF the United States.
With the prospect of imprisonment contin-
ually menacing violators of these speed
regulations 1t is believed that the tendency
to over-speeding will be quickly and ef-
f1ciently checked.
'"The provisions Of the Commissioners
bill include horse-drawn vehicles. These
are included not only for the purpose or
avoiding any charge OF discrimination
against owners and operators OF autoTno-
biles, which charge n>Sht be made basis
OF legal effort to overthrow Wise and nee
essary legislation, but Is also based On
facts shown by the police records During
the year there were 275 arrests and con-
victions for fast driving. TEe evil Is cer-
tainly on the increase In the Distrlct OF
Columbia, and the Commissioners are of
the opinion that careless and reckless driy-
ers might also suffer adequate penalty. The
Commissioners also request that they be
given authority to revoke the license or
permit granted to any owner or operator
OF an automobile after a second convic-
tion in the Police Court OF violating the
speed regulations"