Evening star., 1924-03-31
Asks Safety Campaign.
Writer Says Active Fight OF
Recklessness Vital Now.

To the Editor of The Star
Your editorial in last Fridays Star,
Street Accidents" is most commend
able. heartily agree with your
views and believe that now is the
proper time to wage an active cam
paign against reckless motorists in
order to stop this business OF killing
human beings. AS warm weather
comes along the streets are going to
become even more crowded with au-
tomobtleS, and unless our civil au-
thorities look ahead and foresee what
is coming, the spring and summer
months are going to take a heavier
toll in human life than the first three
months of this year. Nineteen people
killed in three months AS you stat
ed in your editorial, this condition
cannot continue without strong and
radical measures being taken to cor
rect II. There is no unavoidable traf-
fic accident, although the coroner's
jury continues to find these affairs
unavoidable" believe quite
number OF accidents are the fault of
the victims, but from my own expert
ence driving car for the past hVe
years and from my observations as
pedestrian / am convinced that the
vast majority of accidents are the
fault of drivers.
walk about town quite 4 bit. i
find that most motorists are in
hurry-they are continually trying to
get ahead of the other fellow. They
ignore traffic regulations and take
many chances that drivers of good
judgment would not take. On Rhode
Island avenue, Massachusetts avenue
and 18th street in the early morning
and later afternoon one can observe
some of the most reckless driving
anywhere in the country. A motor
ist will see children standing on the
curb or at play, but will not take the
precaution of slowing down while
near the children, but, on the other
chance of not hitting one of the chill
dren. / have seen children standing
on Rhode Island avenue in the morn
ing trying to get across on their way
along without stopping TO permit
those children TO cross. If the chill
dren attempt to pass between two
cars the driver will speed up to
servations in the downtown section
show that motorists constantly dis
regard traffic regulations and all
safety methods. Few will stop their
cars back of the building line at
crossings, but invariably block the
crossing, making it difficult for pc
destrians to cross. And the motorist
who slows down at the street in
tersection is becoming a rare opera
tor these days
AS to the pedestrian, think we are
becoming more cautious. But / do
think there should be punishment for
a pedestrian who crosses in the mid
die of the block. If the street cross
do not believe there would be much
difficulty along this line.
AS to the remedy, think radical
steps should be taken. First, jail
month must be exacted. in the case
of all violators. I think the police
should hold all motorists strictly re-
sponsible for accidents and the police
should have the support Of a COM
petent court. AS it is now there
seems to be no cooperation between
the police and courts. If the police
take an erring motorist into court.
the latter will let the defendant off
with a small fine or on his personal
bond. And can you blame the police
man for not taking the trouble of
carrying violators into court? On the
other hand, il the court sent prom
inent business man, or one of the
youngsters who shows or around
town by driving his automobile reck-
lessly to jail for thirty days matters
would be entirely different. The aver
in Jail and will not take a chance on
going there, hence he will drive his
car properly and not take a. chance
of having an accident
L also Dell6Ne tudC IL d portion OF
the police force were in civilian
clothes. this would help matters. A
m ember of the police department told
me several days ago that Washington
had the most difficult and Indifferent
class of motorists to deal with of
any city in the country. Just as soon
as the policeman's back was turned
they would violate the regulations
If the police force were in plain
clothing I believe motorists would
drive more carefully, not knowing
when they might be under the eyes
of the law"
I think permits to drive are being
handed out indiscriminately. Many
children drive automobiles about the
streets Permits should not be given
to any persons under twenty-one
years Of age. Women of a nervous
temperament should not be allowed
negroes in Washington are incom-
petent drivers, yet permits are given
to them, and most of our traffic acci-
dents can be laid to negro drivers.
believe, as you suggest in your
editorial, that a man before being
allowed to drive must prove that he is
sound in mind and body, that he re-
good.
I hope your paper will continue its
efforts to obtain proper remedy for
the traffic roblem in Washington OF
course, any drastic plan is going to
meet with opposition, but our city
officials should certainly be interested
enough to take cogniZance of the
take steps to stop this business of
reckless driving. It can be done and
the sooner the better.
ALBERT S. FULLER.