Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31
WOULD AVERT PER|LS
Binding Headlights on Street
Cars to Be Prohibited.
REGARDED AS DANGEROUS
Two Recent Accidents Cited as
Argument.
SUGGESTED BY MAJ. JUDSON
Police Regulation Requiring Lights
Upon All Vehicles on Public
Roads Under Consideration.
UGGESTED BY MAJ. JUDS0N

Dazzling and binding headlights on
street cars in the District arc to he pro-
hibited.
That is the decision of the Commission
ers and as soon a. the Formally. of pub
fishing an amendment to the police regu-
lation Is completed local street railways
VIII be notified to- discontinue the use
of such headlights.
I On motion of Engineer Commissioner
Judson the Commissioners have adopted
an amendment to the police regulations
which provides:
The New Regulation.
No street railway company. motorman.
condu ctor or officer or employee of a street
railway company. operating street rail-
way cars In the District of Columbia, shall
use upon. or affiX thereto. any street rail-
way car any headlight which by reason
of its excessive brilliancy is likely to
dazzle. blind OF otherwise endanger any
driver or operator of any vehicle or any
pedestrian. using the public streets.
avenues or highways of the District or
Columbia. Any person or corporation
violating the provisions of this section
shall. upon conviction thereof be fined
not less than 81 nor more than $40 for
ca oh offenSe.
This motion is adopted, 1t is explained
by the Engineer Commissioner. under the
general power of the Commissioners to
make such police regulations las they
may deem necessary for the protection Of
lives. limbs, health, comfort and quiet
of all persons. and the protection of all
property within the District Of Columbia. =
Reasons for the Regulation.
An accident in which an automobile
ap h,,u cpllfIal and fhe
other wrecks are cited by Maj. Judson as
reasons for adopting such a regulation.
The very reasonable explanation given
BY the driver of the automobile was that
he was blinded by the unnecessarily bril-
liant headlight of an approaching car. =
he explained to the Commissioners. 1T
appears TO me to be certain that acct
dents must result frequently il these
very brilliant lights are allowed to con-
tinue to blind the drivers Of other vehi-
cles."
Steps were at first taken to have the
railway company concerned in the acct
dent voluntarily discontinue the brilliant
lights. The company responded that the
lights were regarded as necessary for the
safe operation of the cars and were not
regarded as SO binding to cause acct
dents. Upon this refusal of voluntary
action, Maj. Judson moved the adoption
of the police regulation.
Recent Accidents Cited.
Two accidents attributed to the bril-
liancy Of the street car headlights used on
the Chevy Chase line were recently
brought to the attention of the Commits
sioners by DR.. Emory a. Bryant of the
Burlington.
Within a week or ten days from my
first communication TO YOU carriage
containing a man and his wife was run
,,,t
behind, the vehicle smashed and its occu-
pants thrown out into the street. In this
instance the carriage and the auto were
both coming toward town and the
side of the road lighted by street lamps.
showing without any question that IL was
the glare of the electric headlight of the
car binding the driver of the auto to be
the direct cause OF the accident.
Last saturday night, Within 100 feet of
the place of the above accident, but upon
the opposite side OF the street, going to-
ward Chevy Chase. i ran into two
wheeled cart going in the same direction,
throwing the driver to the ground. smash
ing his cart, shafts, etc, throwing my
self and wife and my three children into
the street. as we'll as making a complete
wreck of the auto ! was driving. / had
cut off the power some 200 feet back on
account of the binding headlight of a
passing Chevy Chase car and was coast
ing down this slight incline just before
reaching the Cleveland Park bridge.
watching for distractions, my daughter
and wife in the seat beside me, both
watching the road equally closely, and
not Notwithstanding all this precaution
was within ten or fifteen feat OF the cart
before either Of us saw anything.
THE fact of the low speed AT which /
was running and the power having been
turned off is all that saved. perhaps. the
lives of one or more in the accident. In
other words. We were looking for trouble.
having expected ii ever since these bright
lights have been on this car line. and
with every precaution within reason to
avoid it, we found IL good and plenty
Lights on All Vehicles Suggested.
All vehicles i'm the District will be com
PEELED to carry lights if the Commission
ers adopt an amendment to the police