Evening star., 1922-10-18
Would Hold Autos to Twelve
Miles an Hour and
Ban Children.
TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
FIRST TO BE WATCHED
Commissioner Considers Action
Necessary in Making Streets
Safe.

Two drastic steps are being consid-
cred by Commissioner Oyster to make
the streets of Washington safer
They are:
That the speed limit for automobiles
be reduced from eighteen to twelve
miles an hour. and that roller skating
in the streets be prohibited.
The Commissioner said he would
arrange today to have members OF
the motor corps of the Home De-
that exceed the present speed regula-
tions to find out to what extent the
existing rules are ignored.
Capt. Oyster said he had not dis
cussed the question of reducing the
speed limit with the other Commits
sioners as yet, but that he Is turning
the matter over in his own mind.
The present regulation provides that
machine may go twenty-five miles
an hour in outlying sections where
there are not more than two houses
in a block. eighteen miles an hour In
the remainder of the city. twelve miles
an hour at intersections and six miles
an hour across sidewalks.
Few Observe I"-Mile Law.
Commissioner Oyster declared that
comparatively few motorists observe
the twelve mile limit at intersections.
He will ask the members of the
motor corps to take a count Of the
number of violations of that rule.
IF motorists would adhere to the
twelve-mile limit at crossings l do
not believe eighteen miles would be
too fast between Intersections" the
Commissioner said. But observa-
tions made in the past indicate that
the showdown rule is ignored by a
ma jority of drivers"
Capt. Oyster made 1t plain that he
has not made up his mind definitely
to recommend twelve-mile limit
he is always open to suggestions as
to the best course to pursue in re-
ducing accidents on the highways of
the city.
Next to failure to slow down at in
tersections, the Commissioner said,
the most dangerous practice of
motorists is the careless use of glar-
ing headlights in the city proper.
Plan for "Skating Streets.o
In connection with his suggestion
that children be prohibited from skat-
ing in the streets. the Commissioner
is considering again the advisability
of designating certain unfrequented
streets for skating during specified
hours
William F. Fam, chairman of the
public safety committee of the
Chamber of Commerce, has arranged
for conference of the trade and
civic organizations to discuss the
problem of street safety from every
angle, to be held in the boardroom of
the District building at 4 o'clock the
afternoon of October 26.
Mr.. Ham was authorized to call such
conference at meeting of his COM
mittee in the rooms of the chamber
yesterday afternoon. The chairman
of the committee said he had no def
mite program to recommend to the
conference.
THE idea is" Mr.. Ham continued,
TO get these interested organiza-
tions together and determine upon
the best way to approach this ques-
tion Of reducing accidents.
"Of course, we are in favor Of q
Safety First week. but look upon tina,
more as a means to the end rather
than the end itself. Another sugges-
ton made yesterday was that we
form a Washington branch of the
National Safety Council"
To Discuss Check-Up.
Harry Almond. secretary Of the
Home Defense League. told Commits
sioner Oyster today he would have
officials of the league call at the
District building this afternoon to
discuss the proposed check-up of au-
tomobiles that exceed the present
speed regula tions.
It is probable that the Commission
er's future course Of action will be
guided largely by the conditions as
reported by the motor corps men.