Evening star., 1924-12-04
Ball Drafts Measure to Make
Penalty for Reckless
Driving Drastic.
SPECIAL COURT URGED
TO HANDLE AUTO CASES
Permit Revocation Made Easier,
Ban of All-Night Parking
Is Provided.


Of Columbia are contained in the
traffic bill which Will be introduced
in the Senate By L. IIeisler Bal.
chairman of the Senate District con-
mittee.
The proposed bill which has rot
yet been whipped into final shape,
will be the result Of long and
intensive investigation Of local co,l-
ditions by the Senate commit.
Senator Bail expects TO introduce It
at once. believing that drastic rneaz-
ures are necessary Immediately N
curb the wave of traffic murder"
sweeping over the city.
With the Senate about to swim,
into action on the depIorabIe traffic
conditions in the National Capita,
and with Representative Frederick
Zihlman having already introduced 8
somewhat similar bill in the Houss
Washingtonians are hopeful that
legislation may eventuate which vii.
bring about speedy improvement.
Penalties Rigorous.
An imposing scale of penalties will
be recommended in the Ball bill
which goes into every angle or the
local traffic condition
Il VI tue HTSl DHeGSS IN care tE
reckless driving the bill will rec
ommend a fine of $40 to SIS with ..
watning; for the second offense, s25
to 500 with the posting of a bond { z
$3.50 to insure future good conduct.
for the third offense. 500 to $500. 30
days 10 ore year in jail. revocation
Of permit. revocation OF license tags
and regulation which will make it
impossible to drive with tags and
permits from another State
For the regulation of drivers from
other States. the bill is expected t&
provide a thorough check-up by the
police of all out-of-town cars II q
driver from another State IS convict
ed in the District of an offense ser!-
Gus enough for the revocation of {
permit here, the issuing authorities
will be notified that the offenders car
will not be permitted in Washington.
A second arrest and conviction of an
out -of-town driver will result in n
fine Of 500 and so days imprison-
ment
Many Evnde Law.
This part of the proposed bill is
said to be necessary due to the fact
that many District drivers whose
permits have been revoked evade the
present law by procuring tags from
another State. The Ball measure is
expected to eliminate this phase of
driving in the District.
For conviction while driving in an
intoxicated condition the first Of
fense will draw a fine Of 500 TO $500,
with GO days to six months in Jail:
the second offense, 5000 to $1,000, not
less than one year in Jail, with re-
vocation of permit for three years.
In case of the revocation of any
vide that in no case can the permit
be returned to the offender until the
period named has expired and only
then on the posting of a $1,000 bond
for future good behavior.
! For minor offenses against the traf-
/ fic regulations other than parking the
/ first offense shall be penalized at SIS
| to SIS. with a forfeiture of the or
| iginal white card TO be issued for
| permits; a blue permit then 10 be
! given to operator; second offense.
! $40 to $50. with forfeiture of the
! blue permit, a yellow one to be is
| sued in it's place; third offense, $50
! to 500, yellow card taken up. not
| to be returned for n period Of not
! less than 80 days and not more than
| one year.
! Systems Worth Proved.
| In regard 10 the three different
| colored permit cards the bill VII,
! point out that this system has been
/ found effective in tracing habitual
violators and that In the opinion of
! the Investigating committee the
! system should be put into effect here.
! Upon being convicted in the court an
offender must report at the Traffic
| Bureau to get his new permit, diff
| ferent color than the one he forfeited.
| or he will not be allowed to operate
! his car. Tho bill also provides that
| taking up of these cards on convic-
ton is mandatory and not left 10
| the discretion Of the court.
Salient recommendations TO be In
corporated in the Bail measure are
as follows:
Immediate establishment of traffic
court, with the necessary judges.
court attendants and clerks. Also a
complete fling system, so that au-
tomobile drivers can be checked up,
in addition to the color permit system.
would Change Pay Plan.
That all traffic policemen in the
District should be taken out of the
control of the street railway com
panies and put under the exclusive
jurisdiction OF the Commissioners.
pensated by the District government
and not railway companies.
That an intensive survey be under
taken by the engineer department
with q view to widening all streets
that can be accomplished without
prohibitive expenditure.
All alleys in the business section
be Immediately designated for one-
way traffic only, with a proviso that
a complete stop must be made at the
sidewalk line by all drivers.
That the placing of traffic sign
by the police department is sufa-
Client notice to the public of a new
regulation; no signs to be erected or
used other than the regular police
insignia.
That the owner of a car will be
held responsible for the automobile
at all times, no matter who may be
operating it. This provision is ex-
pected to eliminate the plea of many
owners when arrested for violations
that "a friend was driving my car"
That citizens cards for reporting
fragrant traffic violations be issued
to a certain number of responsible
Washingtonians. In explaining this
system the committee has pointed
out that It is in vogue in many Of