Evening star., 1928-02-26
NATIONAL TRAFFIC
SESSION PLANNED
Conference to Be Held in st.
Louis in May to Study
Safety Problems.

A national conference on street and
highway traffic. which officials from
every city and State are expected to
attend. will be held in St Louis. Mo-
May 16, according to an announcement
in the current issue of Nations Traff1c.
a national magazine, published in St
Louis.
Citing figures issued by the National
Safety Council. the magazine points out
that the estimated toll OF fatalities as
the result of automobile accidents
reached approximately $4,000 III 1927
and it Is predicted that the total deaths
from automobiles next year will De
25 600
How to check the menace OF motor
vehicle traffic will be the main topic
Of discussion at the conference. Other
important subjects proposed for the
sessions are uniformity Of traffic rcgu-
lations, signals and signs and the ad
visibility of combining the various or
CARNATIONS conducting traffic research
with representation in one central body.
Unity Is Favored.
The magazine indicates that there
are several such organizations in the
field and the activities of each overlap
the others to great extent
1T frequently happens that measures
recommended or adopted by one group
fail to take into consideration all the
elements that are part of the traffic
problem" states the magazine.
Unity of purpose is desirable in all
things and more especially IN move
ments for traffic control. regulation and
safety. There is sad lack of hesemOny
f1cf 10 cf
ing for uniformity in traffic. Likewise.
there is loos, coordination between
the official. the engineer the safety
worker. the legislator and the city
planncr. The result in many instances
is inertia.
Committee to Meet.
Twenty prominent traffic authori-
ties will meet in ST. Louis. May 1916.
as the committee of awards In the
traffic contest being conducted by this
publication. Many of them arc leaders
in their respective fields and all are
interested >in the solution of traffic
perplcXitics along the lines of uniform
ity. 1t Is seldom that such an array
of expert talent as will meet in ST
Louis is gathered together at one time
The opportunity to meet those author-
ties and discuss with them every phase
of the situation will BE- rare one and
II Is very likely that out of the delibcra-
tions something tangible will emerge.
The conference should be attended by
every one who can possibly do SO. Cities
should make it a point to send their
representatives to the sessions
The contest referred to Is being con-
ductcd by Nations Traffic to determine
the best means OF solving the traffic
perplcxities that haraSs every COM
munity Fifteen cash awards totaling
$4,000 and ranging rom Sl00 TO
s2.500 will be made by the magazine
for the best ideas submitted Informa-
ton on the contest. which closes April
30 may be obtained from the magazine.
Among the officials expected TO at
tend the conference are chiefs of police.
police officers in charge of traffic divi-
sions, mayors. city managers, safety
council workers. automobile club off,
cials. educators. planning engineers,
traffic engineers. park and playground
officials, county and State highway off,
cials and representatives OF civic or
ganiZations.