Evening star., 1928-10-21
A CCORDING to Traffic Direc-
Y tor William H. Harland,
\ many motorists of the Ma

Mr.. Harland claims, the driving
public goes on a spree, during
which period it becomes careless
and willfully violates we'll known
and important laws.
Violations during the last weel
have become so numerous that the
director has conferred with the
Police Department for assistance
in bringing about the arrest OF
those who persist in disregardine
the traffic regulations. Mr.. Har-
land believes that the city needs
additional policemen for the prop
er control of traffic.
List of Violations.
In the list of violations fire.
quently made are failing to stop at
boulevard stop signs, failure to
give pedestrians the right Of way
at cross So IS, and failure to
await the 3 = -'gnal before
crossing an intu4A~-.-0n or MAX
ing a turn.
Mr.. Harland visited Staunton,
Va, Friday, for the purpose Of eX-
amining a new traffic signal light
on one Of the main thoroughfares
of the city. This light, the first
one of its kind to be installed, re-
mains green for through traffic
all the time except when a ma
chine approaches from a side
street. Then it automatically
turns red after the average cycle.
Mr.. Harland has had in mind for
some time an idea of this kind of
light for Washington. 1t is his
belief that if the light proves of
merit, it will allow a more steady
flow of through traffic. The prin-
ciple of the light is said to be
magnetic.
New traffic lights on Rhode
Island avenue will be put in use,
probably by next week. Praise of
the recently installed lights on
Connecticut avenue continues to
be expressed to officials of the
Traffic Bureau. The overlapping
amber light is like preparatory
command in the Army. It indi-
Gates to motorists and pedestrians
what is coming next. Without
any doubt, this method has speed
ed up traffic. Motorists are cau-
toned, however, not to cross while
the amber shows.
A. A. A. Signs.
Mr.. Harland is curious to know
from whom permission was OBJ
tanned for the erection of the
temporary signs placed by the
American Automobile Association
to aid delegates to the Episcopal
Convention in finding their way.
Under the traffic act, permission
to install or remove signs from
the street must be obtained from
the traffic director. The first that
Mr.. Harland or his assistant, M. O.
Eldridge, knew of the signs was
when he saw them in place. But
that is over now, and all Mr.. Har-
land is worried about now is Are
they going to take them down at
the end of the convention, or are
they going to let them fall DOWN."
Well, the three AS are more to
be commended than censored for
their action. When an organiZa-
tion at its own expense goes out of
its way to assist visitors to Wash
ington in finding their way they
can be forgiven for forgetting to
call up Mr.. Harland. The A. A. A.
put the signs up and at the proper
time will take them down.
Mortality Figures.
An interesting report comes
from the Department of Com
merce, giving out the number Of
deaths from automobile accidents
from October 10, 1926, to October
6, 1928. The mortality rate is
high and with the increase in
population only extreme careful
ness will ever make the rate de-
crease to any great extent. A part
Of the departments report fol-
lows:
The Department Of Commerce
announces that during the four
weeks ending October 6, 1928, n
large cities in the United States
reported 622 deaths from automo-
bile accidents. This number (622)
compares with 662 deaths during
the four weeks ending October 8,
1927. Most of these deaths were
the result Of accidents which oc-
Cured within the corporate limits
of the city, although some acci-
dents occurred outside of the city
limits.
For comparison, the number Of
deaths due to automobile acci-
dents within city limits is deSir-
able. Such figures, are available
for the four-week period ending
October 6, 1928, and for the cor
responding four week period of
1927 for all of the II cities, the
four-week figure in 1923 being
508 as contraSted with 571 for the
corresponding four weeks in 1927,
Considering by four-week Pc
RODS since May, 1925, total deaths
from automobile accidents for II
cities, regardless of place of acci-
0CL1U, tIlC 4OWCOO UOUdL NO1OJ, dp
pears for the four week period
ending March 81, 1925, and the
highest (686), for the four week
period ending November 5, 1927
The numbers in the IS periods of
four weeks were as follows:
Four weeks ending: October 6
1928, 622; September 8, 1928, $40;
August II, 1928, 588; July IA, 1923
514; June 16, 1928, 498; May 10
1928, $50; April 81, 1928, 525;
March "a, 1927, 414; February 25
1928, 511; January %, 1923, 528;
December 81, 1927, 623; December
3, 1927, 618; November S, 1927, 686;
October 8, 1927. 6S2; September
10, 1927, 525; August IS, 1927, 5O7;
July Is, 1927, 573; June 18, 1927
SOC; May 81, 1927, $50; April %