Evening star., 1920-02-15
practice of driving over the center
and to the left Of center of streets be
permitted.
Headlight Suggestions.

| On account of the insufficient light
! mittee recommends the adoption of a
modern, scientific headlight regula-
ton. based on the principle of the
adoption of lenses or other DETECTING
devices for headlights which will de-
| fleet the beam of light to an approx
mate height Of forty-two inches from
the ground at seventy-five feet in
front of the car. which will permit
the use of sufficient light without
i, glare to protect the pedestrians and
motorists alike. If necessary the Dis
| trict Commissioners should be re-
| quested to secure power to officially
pass certain devices for use when
properly installed. properly focused
/ and with proper candle power.
The headlight law of the state of
Connecticut is a model law. developed
from scientific Investigations of the
Society of Illuminating Engineers. and
we ask the adoption of the same law
for the District of Columbia.
Traffic Court.
Your committee especially recon-
/ mends and petitions for the establish
ment of A traffic court. presided over
by Judge who specialzes on traffic
cases. This judge could hold court at
| liceman of the hours allotted to him
for sleep, nor withdraw A large num-
ber of policemen from the streets at
one time. as a present, leaving some
districts almost without protection
while the officers are delayed in court :;
| nor require witnesses appearing for
themselves or others to waste many
hours waiting while minor criminal
cases are being heard: An officer re-
quired to be on duty nearly all night.
/ and then required to spend his sleep
ipg hours awake prosecuting traffic
cases. cannot he efficient and alert
when he returns to duty.
A Judge specializing on traffic cases
will soon identify chronic Offenders.
apply suitable increased penalties,
should have authority to make nota-
tions of convictions on drivers permit
cards and should have authority to
suspend or annul said permits for re-
peated offenses.
Until it is possible to secure traf-
fic court your committee believes sbe-
cial hours should be set aside in Po-
lice Court to hear traffic cases only.
Impounding Law.
To relieve the courts of hearing
minor traffic cases involving VIOLA
tions of the time limit, parking re-
Quirement, fire plug regulation and
SO IOrtn, your COmmlttee DelleNeS
strong effort should be put forth to
secure the passage Of an impounding
law for all vehicles, whereby the po-
lice department could remove vehicles
SO left in violation OF the regulations
to a public pound, or fmpound said
vehicle where found under an official
sealed police locking device until the
owner of said vehicle shall pay the
regularly assessed impounding fee for
the special offense. This method is
and other cities. The temporary loss
atty and better reminder of traffic
regulations than the fine assessed on
most offenders.
Police Department.
Any criticism of regulations in this
report Is intended purely as con-
structive criticism, and in no wise
anything but complimentary to our
District Commissioners or our most
| excellent police department.
Our police department has made
good during the war and since under
most severe handicaps. To assist the
police department in rendering even
more efficient service the following
| recommendations are made. to wit:
I. That the District Commissioners
are hereby requested to ask for the
! passage Of necessary legislation to
| equip the metropolitan police depart
| ment with an amply sufficient num-
| ber of high powered automobiles to
| run down raiders. murder cars, bank
| robbers. automobile bandits and
other criminals, and to transport re.