The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-21
War ON SPEEDERS
Cities Attempting To Curb
Careless Auto Driving.
Despite Effort So Far Death
Rate Is Increasing.
(By The Associated Press.)


Chicago. Sept. 21.-Despite the pas
sage of numerous ordinances and the
adoption of traffic regulations in the
larger cities of the country in an eff
fort to curb accidents from motor
cars. reports from more than a dozen
of the metropolitan cities of the mid
dle-west show an increase in the num-
Der of accidents for the first six
months of 1929, compared with the
same period of 1921.
This increase has caused city off
Gals to prescribe drastic rules in gov
erning motor traffic in an endeavor to
lessen danger in modern travelling
Several of the cities are shown to be
waging war on the speeder, in many
cases Imprisonment being added to
fines by municipal judges. Adoption
of rules in turning at street intersec-
tions, elimination of glaring head
lights and educational campaigns are
other methods used in many cities in
the campaign against accidents.
In Chicago in 1921, deaths attri-
buted to motor accidents totaled SIS
as compared with AS in 1920. Non
fatal accidents totaled 1857 in 1921
and 70S5 in 1920. During the first
four months of 1922, non-fatal acct
dents totaled 1888.
WorkhOuse For Speeders.
Forty-three persons were killed and
1,055 injured in automobile accidents
in Cleveland from February l. to Aug
ust 1,1922. To offset this, workhouse
sentences have been imposed upon
speeders and reckless drivers, no one
under IS years of age may drive car
and second offense for failure to have
lights burning results in arrest, no
matter what the circumstance.
To curb accidents in st. Louis,
where sixty-two were killed during
the first six months of this year and
1927 were injured, an educational
campaign has been started, one-way
traffic has been established in con-
gested districts during business. hours,
automobiles must come to complete
stop at all boulevards, must not pass
street car discharging passengers
and must not exceed eight miles an
hour in the congested districts and
twenty miles in the residential dis
tricts.
Detroit's attempts to increase safety
are the adoption of the tower sys-
tenn of regulating traffic and the es-
Establishment of safety zones for street
car passengers. Another ordinance
requires all persons to be able to
drive an automobile under all con-
ditions before being granted a state
drivers license. Seventy persons were
killed there during the first six
months of 1922 and 1921 were in
jured.
Jail Sentences in Indiana.
Strict enforcement of speed laws
and frequent Jail sentences for speed
ers and reckless drivers has been the
method adopted in Indianapolis for
increasing safety. In downtown sec
tions traffic officers direct pedestrians
while others direct street traffic.
In Oklahoma City, most of the main
Travelled streets have been designated
bouievards and before crossing these
motorists are required to come to a
complete stop. Heavy white stop"
signs painted on the pavement at
these intersections remind the driver
An "unwritten law" is in effect in
Louisville where police court judges
assess a fine of 50 for each mile an
hour above the speed limit. Peni-
Tertiary sentence under charge of
granddaughter is provided for drivers
found responsible for deaths result
ing from accidents. Cars must be I'M
der control at all street intersections
Bar Left Hand Turn
Milwaukee has barred the left hand
turn and instituted a jay-walkine ordi-
nance requiring pedestrians to cross
streets at intersections. Automobiles
on prescribed thoroughfares are given
rtghtzof-way over all traffic crossing
such streets.
Thirteen deaths because of auto
mobile accidents were reported dur
ing the first six months of 1922 in
Dallas, Tex. In downtown sections
the r1ght-hand turn only is permitted
cars are required to stop at least five
feet in the rear of street cars dis
charging passengers and safety zones
have been established at various
points in downtown streets.