The Washington times., 1925-09-15
ELDRIDGE'
ASKS.F(lR
REFORMS
Traffic Chief Opposes Annual
Renewal fJf Auto
Permits

Striking out tile section provid-
ing for the annphh renewal of per-
nits to drivers iof automobiles in
the District t1of Columbia is
urgently requested by Traffic Di-
rector M. Q. ITldridge in his first
annual repodJc submitted to the
commissioners today.
Time ard expense involved in
this trsmendous undertaking could
be spent ito better advantage in
eliminating from the streets the
relatively small percentage of per-
sons mentally, physically or
morally unfit to drive automobiles,
the director said.
LsngtheH Renewal Period
If Congress insists, however, that
the 1,ermits be renewed annually,
1t is. the suggestion Of the director
that the renewal period be not con-
fined to one particular day but be
spls4ad out over the whole year.
Recommendation that the drivers
OF street cars, horse-drawn vehicles,
rbad rollers and fractions engines;
be included in the list OF persons
for whom it is a violation TO
Operate q vehicle while under the
! Influence Of liquor or drugs is also
made. This proposal was expected
4 following the arrest of a motornan
ION H street northeast, some time
EegO, who was said to be operating
Filis car while under the influence
! OF liquor.
| With $324,000 a sum which will
] annually be obtained through regis.
trations, renewals of permits. new
permits and duplicate permits, the
office of the Director of Ira fife
could get along very nicely, the re-
port intimated. Inducing Congress
to set aside this amount provides
another part of the report.
Need for Title Law Seen
Need for a uniform and interna.
tional title law was pointed out,
with registration of the purchaser
required before he would be able
to procure a license. This law, it is
said, would place the burden of
ownership on the possessor of the
| automobile and such proof would
be transferred in an assignment of
title IL the automobile was sold.
! Consensus Of opinion of traffic
| experts and insurance men deem it
unwise to force the owner of an
! automobile to take out insurance
covering property and personal dam
age. 1t was shown that this might
| increase accidents If the drivers
were relieved of the burden Of the
payment of damages.
A substitute plan, in the opinion
of the Traffic Director. would be the
suspension of the permit of any
person against whom a Judgment is
| obtained II he Is unable to pay dam
ages. This suspension would be in
effect until such damages were paid.
Achievements Cited
Accomplishments Of the office Of
the Director Of Traffic are enumer.
ated as follows: Preparation of
modern code Of traffic and registra-
ton regulations; inauguration Of a
rev and more rigid system for the
issuance Of permits: purchase OF
traffic lights for installation on Six
tenth street, and Massachusetts,
avenue. and elimination of parking
on the flow sides Of certain streets
during the rush hours.
| Installation of the synchronized
| cICCLTlC btdLAIC OH the dDONe-
mentioned streets Is being complet-
ed. the doctor reported. Green for
"go:" yellow for CHANGE" and red
lights for stop" will be simultane-
ously observed all along the streets
with the exception of certain cut.
outs during rush hours, where hand
opera ton of lights will remain ir
effect. II is believed that these
lights. which will probably be in
stalled In November. will promote
safety and expedite traffic.
Limited appropriations will enable
the lights to he placed only along
sixteenth street northwest, from
Lafayette Park to Florida avenue
and on Massachusetts, avenue from
Twelfth to Eighteenth streets north
west.
As to Number OF Accidents
Since there has been an increase
of twenty-seven per cent in motor
car registrations during the past
year. Director Eldridge believes it
would be unreasonable to expect
that a decrease would be shown in
the number of traffice accidents.
Comparisons with the preceding
year, show, however, that during
a stated period Of approximately
two months there were eleven fatal
accidents for this year against six
teen for 1924: nine seriously injured
against four for last year and 1910
minor injuries in companions to
1904 of the same type for 1924.