The Washington times., 1921-08-09
Cash COLLateruLs for
Traffic Violations
BY BILL PRICE.

Discussion of the automobile traffic situation in
Washington by Commissioner OYSTER, Judge MONA
HON. of the Police Court and Congress may yet be pro-
ductve of much good in lettering conditions which it
is plain to everybody should be improved.
Judge MCMAHON dwells the weakest feature of
traffic enforcement in the Dstrict-the depositng of
coaterals in police stations and the failure of offenders
to appear in court through forfeiture.
There be possible objection to police precincts
accepting cash collateral from minor offenders who
casonay violate the traffic laws through ignorance
thoughtlessness which have not endangered lives
property. There is good reason why this type OF Of
tenders should be compelled to to the present Police
Court and wait for hours for disposition of their cases,
when the fines imposed against them, if at ALL would
be no larger than the amount of collateral forfeited
But the weakness of the collateral system is that it is
shield for habitua deliberate volators of traffic laws
the willfuy careless, who disregard the rights Of
other drivers and of pedestrians and hold the laws in
contempt; drivers filled with whskey; the dangerous
speedser and other types which need severe handling
Many Of this class have been arrested time after time
in different parts of the city. They themselves
sentences in court by depostng and FORGETTING
collateral. One police precinct doesn't know that an
offender has often been arrested in other precincts
And if they do appear in Police Court the judges and
prosecuting officials do not always know that they
habtual and purposefu offenders who ought to be
taught serious lessons
And this points out the need for prompt legislation
by Congress to create traffic court and to require that
the habitua offender shall be placed under bond Of
thorough consideration of his ofense No law ought to
prevent police stations accepting small cash deposits
from men women known to be unintentional viola
tors But the law provide that the traffic court
and the Police Department small keep complete and
satisfactory interchangeable records of all arrests and
convictions giving full data that will determine
whether man has been repeatedly hailed for violating
the traffic laws. This record should be kept in every
police precinct and would of course be in the hands Of
prosecuting attorneys of the traffic court
1t would not require many months, with such law
in existence before the intentional volaor of the law
a constant menace to life and limb, would understand
that he reaching the danger point for himself and
would later have his license driver for
feited find himself in the penitentary.
Commissioner Oysters order doubling the collaterals
heretofore accepted will be beneficial but they shod
be still further increased in the of old offenders
The Police Department keeps fairly we'll informed at
present to the most dangerous drivers but the Off
unable to make it complete enough in the alb
Of system covering both the department and
the courts.
Congress materially aid in lettering traffic trou-
bles here if it will act and in the meantime the sug-
gestion is offered to the Police Department that
Of the energy spent in hunting vioators Of park
ing regulations were turned to a whirlwind and pro-
longed campaign against reckless drivers there would be
less complaint in Congress and elsewhere great deal
Of stress is put parking regulations and q large
number Of men detached for that purpose Moro
and more swift motorcycles employed in pursuit of
man-killers will help things immensely.