Evening star., 1923-02-23
BILL ASKS FALLING
IN TRAFFIC CASES
Congress Gets Measure I'M
posing Severe Penalty on
Offenders.
HOPE TO CUT FATALITIES
Commissioners Would Be Given
Power to Decide Giving of
Prison Sentence.
HOPE TO CUT FATALITIES

A bill providing for a jail sentence
for violators Of the traffic regulations
in all cases where the Commissioners
deem such a penalty advisable was
transmitted to Congress today by the
city heads.
The proposed legislation is brief
and to the point, reading as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives in Congress
assembled that in addition to the
authority heretofore conferred upon
the Commissioners to impose penal
ties for violation of municipal regu-
lations the said Commissioners are
hereby authorized, when, in their
judgment, such is deemed advisable,
to impose a fine Of not more than $500
or Imprisonment in the District jail
or workhouse for a period not to ex-
ceed three months. or both fine and
imprisonment in the discretion of the
court, for violation Of any regulation
or ordinance now in force or here
after promulgated by the said Com
missioners relating to the use OF the
thereon by vehicles of any descrip-
tion, and prosecution for the viola
tion OF any such regulations or ordi-
nances shall be conducted IN the
Police Court in the name of the cor
poration counsel or his assistants.
HOPES to Lessen Fatalities.
In submitting the bill to the
Commissioners, Corporation Counsel
Stephens expressed the belief that a
reckless driving law, properly en-
forced and punishable by an adequate
penalty, will do much toward reduc-
ing fatalities on the streets. Without
an adequate penalty, he said, 1t Is not
believed that such regulations would
accomplish much good.
"Forwarded herewith Is draft OF
q proposed act of Congress, giving 70
the Commissioners power TO PROVIDE
for imposition of a jail sentence, when
in their judgment such Is deemed ad,
the the v,eiation of any trae
res,ilation relating to the use of any
public street.
M Power to Jail Offenders.
"Under the present law the Com
missioners have power to provide for
a reasonable fine for the violation OF
a municipal ordinance, but are with
out power to fix jail sentence Tor
suoh violation.
.It is not intended by this act that
a ial sentence be provided for any
and all yehicular traffic regulations,
but only such as the commissioners
deem advisable. 1t is, therefore,
suggested that Congress be request
ed to grant the power In the pro-
posed act"
The draft of the legislation will be
transmitted Immediately to the Dis
trict committees of the House and
Senate.
Many suEgestions Considered.
AT their board meeting to-day the
Commissioners considered more than
q score of suggestions to improve
tho traffic situation. submitted to
them by the Board of Trade. They
decided to invite Odell S. Smith,
chairman of the public order COM
mfttee of the trade body, to meet
with the Commissioners traffic COM
mittee at the District building this
afternoon and go oyer with that
committee the Recommendations of
the Board Of Trade.
The Commissioners committee, head
ed by Assistant Corporation Counsel
Ringgold Hart, hopes to be ready to
make q report on new traffic regu-
lations following today's meeting.