Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-28
CAPTAIN HARRY /. sHULTz
On PhiIadeIphia's Traffic Problems


THE greatest problem which confronts the
i traffic police of Philadelphia is the edu.
cation of the general public up to the point
where they know what to do and how TO
conduct themselves in the midst of the city,s
traffic with the least danger OF accident,
according. to CAPTAIN Harry Il. Shuitz, "e
head of the Traffic Squad of the Bureau OF
Police.
''There are two great things which the
traffic police of the city have to 40, saia
Captain Shultz. lone is the prevention OF
accidents and the other is the handling OF
the enormous traffic Of the city with the
least possible congestion. The accidents
directly concern people, perhaps, more than
does the congestion, and we use every means
within our power to decrease the number OF
them each year. =.
1--WE are succeeding pretty well; too. In
and in 1921 there were 5422. But there was
a big drop In the number of fatal disasters;
In 1920 there were 253 which resulted
3atally. and in the following year l6s. This
year has shown TREMENDOUS ue,rcuss'
there having been about one hundred acci-
dents a month fewer than last year
Educating the Public
"But our main difficulty Is to get the
public educated to the point OF taking care
Of themselves. We have more difficulty with
pedestrians than we have with the motor
lists, although do not deny that there are
some very careless and reckless motorists.
One important thing which we nave much
cross Mt the crossings and not IN the middle
of the block. .
..The pedestrians should learn to watch
the semaphore and not the traffic. There
are very few motorists VINO disregard the
signs are turned against them they all stop
and the crossings are safe. But there are no
semaphores in the middle OF the blocks.
"The matter of the children is another
thing which gives us much trouble. Parents
the streets and above all, to use the public
niaygrounds and not the streets for their
recreation. They should also be taught the
dangers of automobiles, and all OF this In
struction should be given at as Is eary th an age
driving with a friend through one of our
smaller streets n few days ago. and within
three blocks we saw at least 2oO children
nlaying on the street while the parents sat
on the stoops or porches and watched them.
When conditions like this exist 1t is little
wonder that there are so many accidents
" @ The Truck Traffic
"But the greatest trouble is still at the
street crossings. There are a number OF
reckless and careless truck drivers, and the
motortruck is the most unwiedy and dan
gerous Of all motor vehicles. We get these
drivers whenever we can and talk to them
about the necessity OF using the greatest
care in the handling of their machines.
Most of them pay attention to our warning
| because they know that II will be followed
| nv severe penalties il they have accidents
| through carelessness of their own.
"Wc should have law In Pennsylvania
| demanding that every driver have some
| knowledge Of the traffic rules and regula
| tions OF the State and city before he is
granted license as a driver. Many Of them
know only enough TO start and stop their
cars. Then they get their licenses and 70
| ont. especially on Saturday or Sunday,
when the traffic il congested under any cir
cumstsnces, and, OF course, many Of them
| have accidents, not so much through their
inability to drive as through their ignorance
| NJ the traffic conditions and rules. What we
need is the thing which they have in New
Jersey, where 1t is required that an appli-
can't for a drivers license show that he can
handle his car in the traffic. This could be
! easily done by requiring that the new driver
| 90 into the traffic with some experienced
nerson and learn fhe things which he must
know in order to drive safely.
| "Anothcr dangerous thing Is the prac-
tice of no many children in Catching rides
from automobiles 1t is dangerous to them
selves, a nuisance to the drivers of cars and
to the public, and practice exceedingI,
hard to break up. Here again the parer /,
could give us tremendous help II they onl,
would do 70.
1--WE have increased our tsa0c posts },
a large number during the last year or %