The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-08-14
SOUNDS DEATHKNELL
OF DAZZLING LIGHTS
Corporation Counsel Syme Will
Invoke New Regulations If
Present Rules Fail.

Declaring two deaths and numerous
accidents have resulted from the use OF
dazzling headlights on motor vehicles,
Corporation Counsel Syme today an.
nounced his intention, il regulations
prohibiting their use are found not
stringent enough, to ask the Commits
sioners to pass additional regulation
prohibiting the use of any reflector on
any side or headlight in the District.
The new traffic regulations, which are
printed in full in The Times, of July
IL, will become effective Sunday. Plans
are being made by the office of the Cor
poration Counsel for their strict en-
forcement
reasonable and will be strictly enforced
said Corporation Counsel Syme today.
The two most important changes are
those prohibiting the parking of vehicles
in congested sections and prohibiting
binding headlights. The one prohi-
biting parking, while 1t may result in
some slight inconvenience, is clearly In
the interest of public safety, and in line
with what has been done in most Of the
large cities. The regulation prohibit
ing dazzling headlights was not drafted
until a most careful observation had
been made of conditions in the urban
and suburban sections.
1T was found that the glaring head and
side lights were more dangerous in
unlighted than in lighted streets. Their
use has occasioned two deaths. and
many accidents. They are utterly I'M
heretofore given had been needed, the
little boy who was killed Sunday would
be alive today. If the police would be
ordered to enforce the head and side
light regulation with the utmost strict
ness, the assistant corporation counsel
ha In Of IN
ask that the heaviest penalty be imposed
following every conviction of its viola
ton. II it is found the regulation Is
not stringent enough, I shall ask the
Commissioners within the next week to
pass an additional regulation absolutely
prohibiting the use of any reflector.
whatsoever. on any side or head light
in the District of Columbia"
The regulation prohibiting the use of
dazzling headlights provides that 1T
shall be unlawful to use any acetyline
or electric headlights, or sidelights. on
the streets. avenues. or highways OF
the District of Columbia, unless the
rear reflectors are removed from the
same or the front glass either ground
or covered with muslin, paper, or other
material of sufficient density to pre-
vent the light being binding or daz-
cling TO persons using the streets"
The parking regulation provides that
no vehicle except a commercial vehicle
iodulTs OF unlodolnS, snail without spe-
cial permit from the Commissioners, be-
tween the hours of a m. and p. m,
stand for more than fifteen minutes at
any place in the following streets or
avenues: Fifteenth street northwest,
between Pennsylvania avenue and 7
street northwest, except the vehicles Of
the United States Government; Four
tenth street northwest between ennsyl-
vania avenue and i street; II street
northwest. between Fourteenth street
and Madison place; New York avenue
northwest. between Fourteenth and Fiji
tenth streets; G street northwest, be-
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth, and F