Evening star., 1927-11-06
LIFTING Of SPEED
BAN AIDS TRAFFIC
Fewer Accidents Reported
After Michigan Experiment;
Control Is Better.
By Consolidated Press.

DS CouSoHdateQ Press.
DETROIT, November 5.-The hore
state OF the automobile has adopted
what traffic experts and State nol,ce
believe to be the only possible solu.
ton OF the problem Of highway con.
gestion by abolishing speed limits
outside OF towns and cities. And.
amazingly enough, the thing works.
Careful check-up of accidents and ar.
rests for reckless driving during the
first few weeks OF the new laws oper.
alton reveals no increase in either.
Roads that two months ago were
choked with traffic, Uttered with
wrecks caused by impatient drivers
attempting to cut around slow.moving
traffic, now are clear Of congestion.
The writer has driven a thousand
miles without seeing an accident or
wrecked car. On the narrow roads
two smooth lines of traffic flow swift.
ly past each other. Cars travelling
at a speed Of so to SIS miles an hour
are able to keep Gin the line of traffic"
On the widened highways cars go
two and three abreast in each direc.
ton, the slower moving vehicles
making 40 and As miles an hour
keeping to the right edge Of the road.
Arrested for Slow Driving.
Motorists travelling down congested
highways at rate of Is to 20 miles
an hour, slowing up the procession,
the first warned and then arrested.
It's against the law to obstruct
traffic by slow driving in Michigan.
Briefly. the new Michigan law now
in operation Is '1et the driver be-
warer' Before stepping on the gas
and letting her out" the motorist
must be sure the space ahead is clear,
no crossroads looming ahead from
which another car might suddenly
dart into or across the main road, no
children playing on the highway, no
impossible congestion just ahead. The
driver must know his car, what IL
will do, and the road ahead, what 1t
contains-and he is held liable for re.
suits when he misjudges either
Strict regulations are provided for
passing cars going in the same direc-
ton. Passing on hills and at curves
is prohibited; the car seeking to pass
signals and the car ahead draws to
the right and refrains from increas-
ing speed until the faster car is in
the clear. Automobiles travelling on
trunk lines have right of way over
vehicles entering from non.trunk
lines
Automobiles must have service
brakes and emergency brakes capable
of stopping the vehicle within 40 feet
from a speed of 20 miles an hour.
Heavy trucks are restricted in speed
according to weight, and trucks are
forbidden to follow each other in
close quarters. All vehicles must
have windshield cleaners. rear view
mirrors, two non-glare lights in front
and a red light behind.
Detroit and Wayne County now are
in the midst of a street and road
widening program that will cost
many millions OF dollars. double the
width of main streets and highways
and permit the regular daily operation
of many thousa nds of cars that are
now used only on special occasions.
Traffic Controls.
Wayne County has developed a sys.
tenn of highway electric traffic controls
that amazes visitors. Wider roadwayS,
well paved thOrouGhfares. separation
of grades at dangerous railway cross
inSs. trimming of trees and removal
of tall shrubbery at crossings, straight.
ening of roads. removal of embanlS-
ments, closing of open bitches. guard
rails at embankments. widening OF
roads at crossings and installation of
modern "stop and go" electric signals
at main highway intersections are
among the easures already carried
out. In some instances traffic has
been speeded up by complete separa-
ton of intersectinC highways,
running one under the other.
The result of all this is that the
'loafer" has been swept from the
Michigan highways; the "speed boys"
have their chance to "let her out"
when the road is clear: road time be-
tween the industrial centers has been
diminished by nearly 100 per cent, and
traffic congestion virtually eliminated.
tCopyrGht. 1927