Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-17
Automobile Regulations.


the District Commissioners to con-
slider revision of the District traffic
regulations with the object of promot-
, ing safety in the streets will meet
tomorrow. Much good is expected to
result from the deliberations of the
board. There is need of regulation
and the observance and enforcement
of regulations which will materially
reduce the number of accidents be-
tween vehicles and between vehicles
and pedestrians.
One proposed change which expert
ence and common sense show to be
needed is in the matter of issuing
licenses. Persons having physical de-
! fects disqualifying them from safely
operating a motor car will no doubt
be deemed Ineligible to hold an oper-
ator's license.
Thirty or forty years ago The Star
waged an historic campaign against
steam locomotives in certain streets
and avenues and against the crossing
of streets at grade by steam railroad
lines. That fight, waged for years.
resulted in the institution of union
station, the removal of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad station from a public
park, the removal Of railroad tracks
from government reservations and
from streets and the construction of
sunken ways and elevated ways, a
north and south tunnel under the mid
die of the city, and the frightening Of
the old Pennsylvania-navy yard tun-
mel. The fight started because OF the
number Of, Washington people killed
at grade crossings. Let us remember
that the locomotives ran on rails hold
ing them to fixed right Of way,
known to everybody and obvious to
everybody who could see. The loco
motives were operated by men of long
and careful training. They had been
passed by examiners as sound in
nerves, understanding and intelligence,
and their vision and hearing were Of
high order. They were also temper
ate. An engineer drunk at the throt-
tie and levers Of his engine is almost
unthinkable The locomotives passed
over their tracks within the city linn
its at lower rate Of speed than autos
often travel through the streets.
Now in the year of 1920 we have
machines Of great power and capable
Of travelling faster than locomotive
in the eighties and the nineties, not
confined to iron rails on their own right
of way, but going hither and thither
along and across streets and turning
busy corners. They do not come along
at 9:33, 1912 and 1850 as locomotives
used to, but they pass and repass,
scores in a minute. Persons driving
these machines have been subjected
to no investigation as to their physi-
cal or other fitness to handle them.
Without reference to statistics it is
probably a fact that more persons are
killed or injured in the streets of
Washington in month by automo-
biles than were struck at grade cross
ings by steam trains in year.
! The situation calls for remedy.
The automobile is one of the best and
most useful developments of our time
and there Is no wish to turn back to
the days when there were none. There
is no disposition to put any unreason-
able restrain on automobiles and their
owners, but the time has come when
there is a strong demand that people
in the streets, afoot or in cars, shall
be given protection against automo.
| bile operators who are incompetent
or reckless. The remedy lies in the
PRONUNCIATION of fair and reasonable
regulations. and particularly in the
strict and impartial enforcement of
those regulations.