Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-27
Charles F. Wood Character
ICES the Rules as "Archaic
and Unreasonable"
WOULD GOVERN TRAFFIC
BY Different METHOD
Terms Reasonable and Proper" He
Says, Express Meaning of Regu-
lation in % States.

-Abolishment of the law fixing speed
limits for traffic i'll Washington is
urged by Charles Francis Wood IN a
letter to Engineer Commissioner kutz.
in which he discusses at length some
of the Districts traffic problems.
Characterizing the present twelve
mile per-hour limit as archaic and un-
reasonable he proposes regulation of
traffic on the basis of the axiom that
speed shall be reasonable and proper
under the conditions and circum-
stances
SO generally is it coming to be re-
garded that the terms reasonable and
proper" express the meaning of the law
that they are actually used in the regu-
latlonS of tWenty-SiX states, MIR. Wood
asserts. while in twelve other states
the words reasonable and prudent" ap-
pear.
Some of these regulations, he con-
tlnues, are qualified by limits varying
from fifteen to twenty miles in certain
localities. but many are without quail
fication, and these are coming to be
regarded more and more as models.
Views of Commissioner Kutz.
According to Engineer Commissioner
in New York and Philadelphia is pro-
ducine satisfactory results. but the Dis
trict official believes that a maximum
limit should be set as safeguard.
He is of the opinion. however. that the
twelve-hour limit should be increased.
Commissioner ku1Z said he would
turn Mr.. Woods letter over to Commits
sioner Brownlow. who has supervision
of the police department, and that the
suggestions doubtless would be given
considerati on by the board of Com
speed limit law, however. would re-
qulre action by Congress
In proposing regulation of traffic on
the reasonable and proper" basis MIR.
wood states in his letter that he does
not make an appeal for reckless driv-
ing. unwarranted speed or disregard
of the rights of pedestrians or others
on the streets. On the contrary he
states. II yield to no one in my posi-
tive opinion that the driver of car
should give a reasonable right of way
to everything else on the road, and
particularly the pedestrian and the
horse, for he has at his command in
the modern car the most flexible means
of transportation yet evolved by the
mind of man. and can in almost an in
slant check its speed or double it with
scarcely an effort.
He argues that the twelve-mile limit
clogs the Police Court with cases which
should never reach there. creates police
records for persons entirely undeserving
OF them and causes loss of time and ex-
pense to individuals and to the public not
warranted by the so-called misdemeanor
Ii also breeds contempt for law and &C
complishes nothing for good except pos
sibly to fill a depleted police pension
fund. he states.
Reasonable and Proper" Speed.
while ! have not access to the rec
ords." his letter continues. 81 believe the
figures would show that in 90 per cent of
the so-called violations the speed at
which the vehicle was travelling at the
time the arrest was made was reason
able and proper" under the conditions,
and would be SO regarded by large ma
Jority of trained and experienced experts.
AS l view the question the REGULATE
as they exist prove their own absurdity.
Frequently it happens. in driving, that
short burst OF speed is the way to
safety and shows good judgment on the
part of the driver. There are places where
reasonable. and other places where four
miles an hour is reckless. and the condi-
tons change sometimes with Kaleidoscope
rapidly. The automobile has been built
ior these conditions. and perfected until
in the hands of competent operator it
responds to changes within such limits
IN few feet of distance and in almost
imperceptible time
Statistics for 1914 show that the
number of deaths resulting from an
tomobile accidents and injuries was
2,4ss. while the number due to injuries
by other traffic was 2.5sI, ana animals,
principally horses, caused $40 deaths
in addition. from which it WOULD seem
to be logical deduction that the speed
oil the vehicles cannot be the control
ing FACTOR or the chief cause of the
damage.