Evening star., 1924-06-08
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

Recent Investigations into such i'm
portant problems as accident preven-
ton, traffic control and highway
safety are bringing to light some
strange inconsistencies which have
somehow escaped the spotlight for
years
One investigator recently startled
his audience by asking those assem-
bled if they thought it was sensible
70 allow frail women in their sixties
to operate ten-ton motor trucks. A
ripple of laughter went over the
group. only to be followed instantly
By a significant silence. Suddenly
they caught his meaning.
The motor vehicle license issued to
operators in the state where the in
vestigator was talking reads: This
ceruf1es that the person named below
has complied with the provisions Of
Law concerning the licensing of mo-
tor vehicle operators and is hereby
licen sed to operate a motor vehicle
on the highways of this state"
Typical Of Licensing.
Since the license named no specific
make of car. or type, the term "a mo-
'OT VCn1Cle is construed TO mean
any motor vehicle" 1t is typical Of
tho licensing of motor vehicle opera
tors in general. and is by no means
ccnfined to the particular locality.
Just picture for moment what
this means. Here is the law granting
Mary Doe the right to drive "a ten ton
truck should she feel inclined to do
IN. Here is John Doe privileged to
drive any automobile. regardless of
whether it is safe or unsafe.
Tho incoD 81 fencieS tho aSparfS
are too numerous to permit of de-
tailed discussion of any one at this
stage of the investigation. Every one
inst now is interested primarily in
discovering how lax and absurd the
whole situation is. When this Is
clearly fixed in the public mind il is
felt that there will be some rather
surprising action. all. calculated to
result in important changes for the
better.
number Of experts~are nothing
short of alarmed over the present in
consistency in traffic regulations at
that while regulations arc being de-
signed with the idea of saving human
life sutomobilists are being urged to
hurry at crossings. Yet hurrying is
recognized to be inimical to the basic
rules of safety
walking Speed Factor.
The speed at which the human be-
which means that in all traffic rcgula-
tion allowance should be made for the
fact that a pedestrian can get away
so quickly and no quicker. To figure
on his getting out of the way any
quicker than he is able to is identi-
caf1y the same as forcing him to cross
in front of a moving street car. Yet.
despite the fact that this point in
traffic regulation is recognized, auto
mobiles are running at higher and
higher speeds a crossings. being en-
couraxed to do SO in the interests of
speeding UP vehicular traffic.
AS one expert points out. what is
the use of talking safety while each
city appears to be interested primar-
lily In keeping the streets from being
congeSted?
Every one seems to be working on
the assumption that there is some
thing particularly dangerous about
vehicular congestion, whereas the
facts show that most lives are lost
where vehicles are at liberty to run
along about as they please. There
seems to be something inconsistent
about the whole business.
Lift Driving Restriction.
Take it from another angle. The
casualty insurers recently revised
their rules and regula tions SO as to
eliminate the necessity of restricting