Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-11
SAFETYPLEDGE
CARDSFORDR|vERS
A. A. A. Aids Stars Cam
paign to Curb Reckless Driy-
/ ing of Delivery Vehicles.
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.


A n further step. in The Stars
ramuaign to curb reckless driving ana
careless speeding on the part OF draV-
ers of light commercial vehicles III
the National Capital safety pledge
cards will be distributed among the
city's business houses tomorrow by
members of the schoolboy patrol I'M
der the direction of the American
Automobile Association.
Officials of many business estaDlsn-
ments which employ delivery venice
operators already have asked Tor
cards. The drivers themselves gener-
alIv have expressed a. Willingness to
sign the pledges and TO cooperate IN
every way in Kidding the streets of
this traffic menace.
Eldridge Devised Gard.
The pledge card, printed by local
business house as its contribution 10
the campaign. was suggested as one
efficacious way in which to impress
upon every driver the necessity Tor
greater care to end the reign of terror
that prevailed before the campaign
was started. The card was devised by
Director Of Traffic Nj. O. Eldridge with
the cooperation of officials of several
local business organizations. 1t reads
as follows:
A Pledge to My Employer.
Realizing the trust placed in me.
and mindful of my responsibilities to
the public and my employer in the
promotion of safety and the proven
ton of accidents, promise upon my
honor to yfSCi complete obedience to
the traffic regulations, to live up to
the safety rules OF this company, and
to respect the rights of all other users
of the streets.
II shall at no time by any discourte-
Gus or illegal driving bring discredit
upon the company which employs
me-
To aid the movement the American
Automobile Association, through
Ernest n. Smith, general manager,
offered its facilities for distributing
the pledge cards. For this purpose, it
has selected boys from the school pa
trolls who will deliver, the cards to
any business house in the city that
employs one or more light delivery
vehicle drivers.
All that is necessary for an en-
ployer to get any number. of cards
needed is to call the American Auto
mobile Association, Main 1850, ask for
the safety pledge department and
specify the number of pledges de-
sired.
Noteworthy improvement.
Since the Inauguration several
weeks ago of The Stars campaign
against reckleSsneSs on theep part of de-
livery vehicle operators, there has
been a noteworthy Improvement in the
situation, according to traffic officers.
Police and traffic officials, members of
the local trade organizations. employ
ers of the light delivery. truck opera
tors and the drivers themselves have
co-operated toward giving the city re-
lief from the situation which existed
prior to the sweeping campaign.
The first stores revealing the condi-
tions pointed out that the tactics of
this particular type of driver, care
lessly speeding past intersections, rae
ing UP to corners and diSregarding
the rights of other motorists. and
pedestrians, had created virtually a
reign of terror on the city's streets.
The belief was expressed that employ
erS were without knowledge of the
actions OF their men and later cam
vass of their number revealed this to
be the fact.
Once appraised Of conditions. they
were quick to act. Many of the lead
ing employers called their men to-
SCtheF ana warned Lnem LflaL@ the
company would tolerate no such exhi-
billions. Definite warning that dis
missal faced the reckless driver and
careless speeder was issued by several
large employers who lost no time in
pointing out that the good name of
the establishment was Of much more
importance than the saving of few
minutes time on the. part of the
truck driver
This had its immediate reflection in
curbing the most fragrant violations
of the traffic code and the laws of
courtesy.
Police on Watch.
The Police Department greatly
facilitated the campaign by paying
especial attention to- violations by
these drivers.
Many Of the operators, themselves,
appraised of the fact that the individ-
ual's recklesSness in the aggregate
amounted to a city-wide menace, con-
trdbuted immeasurably toward i'm
provement by rernedying their own
driving.
Immediate assent was given by
many employers to the plan to have
their men sign pledge cards. AL
though a number already were ex.
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