The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-07
Up the Wrong Tree.

into court, the law says to him
when 1t comes to driving, you re
a lemon. You don't know any
thing about operating a car at
all, so to make the subject clear
to you, wen send you down to
Occoquan and teach you to make
brick"
We can't understand how
knowledge OF brickmaking IL go
ing to improve mans driving.
Looks like a course in traffic law
would have a better effect on
the casualty list.
In the old days, and not so
very old at that, only fairly
wealthy people could drive cars.
There weren't many Of them
driven. And there wasn't any
traffic problem worth bothering
about.
But now anyone with few
dollars above his board, lodging
and cigarette money can get at
least a used car, and failing that,
he can tour around for a hour
or SO with a friend who learned
last week In the same way, and
get job driving one.
II some fine point is overlooked
during this two hours intensive
training, and an accident results,
the owl-eyed law solemnly pre-
scribes q fifteen days course in
brick-making, as a remedy.
During our two years exper-
fence in traffic court, we have
seen a good many people on the
witness stand who were beyond
any doubt, not fit to be trusted
with a machine on city streets.
In ninety per cent OF the cases,
their unfitness was palpably the
result of poor training. Of bad
environment, climaxed by faulty
instruction in the art OF driving.
The establishment of training
schools for drivers, graduation
from which, or the equivalent,
would be a prerequisite to OBJ
tanning license TO drive in the
city, anyhow, would reduce traffic
accidents by a large proportion.
The cooperation Of automobile
clubs, dealers associations, pub
lie spirited citizens, aided by the
proceeds Of certain classes OF
fines. could keep these schools in
operation, so that the cost of
permits need not be increased
above the present level.
A course in traffic regulations,
to be established in the high
schools, is worth thinking over.
The school boy--and his sister
of 1925 will be found among the
drivers of 1927. and we all ex-
pect to live until that time
Most of us, probably. wish to
live longer.
AMI of the public spirited, pro-
gressiye colleges in this country,
surely many can be found that
viii give credit. on entrance ex-
aminations, for a high school
course in traffic affairs-doubt-
less more than one will make
such course a requirement.
And why should not the higher
aspects of this huge new social
phenomenon be continued in col
lege work?
Restrictive measures will ac-
complish nothing but harm. A
hundred drivers ruled off the
field mean so many fewer men
for this rapidly increasing work,
a curtailed market for the auto
mobile trade, and eventually,
eight or ten hit-and-run eases
for the police. The irresponsible
driver cares little for regulations
especially for those that forbid
him to drive. But at that, he'd
rather go to school than to Jail.
Unfortunates that cannot be
taught to operate a car properly
shuold be kept off the streets.
There can be no doubt of that.
But give the school a chance
first
The driver OF today picks up
his clumsy knowledge of car
operation and of traffic law, hap
hazard from someone as .rre-
sponsible as himself That is a
condition for schools, not jaiIs.
to remedy.
Let's take a lesson from the
army. It has some good points.
If General Pershing had taken
his mob of two million men
across the water without drilling,
without instruction in the sol
dierly art, and contented him
self with shooting or falling all
those who failed to make the
grade, who would have won the
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