Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-30
Director Would Let Court De-
eide on Imprisonment
for Speeding.
SAYS JAIL TERMS MAKE
JURY CONVICTION HARD
report Shows Pennsylvania and
Connecticut Avenues Lead in
Number Of Accidents.

Radical changes in the traffic act
which would reduce the penalties pre-
scribed for third offense speeding, first
offense driving while intoxicated and
second offense reckless driving, and
which would give the courts more dis
cretionary powers in these cases, are
commended by Traffic Director Will
liam H. Harland in his first annual re-
port, submitted today TO the District
Commissioners.
The existing maximum penalty for
third offense speeding, Mr.. Harland de-
clared. is too severe and should be
modified to limit the ofTenses committed
within a period of one year, and the
courts should be permitted to determine
whether the offender should be jailed
in addition to being fined. AS the
traffic act is writer jail sentence IS
compulsory for all third ofIcnses OF
speeding, even if those offenseS are five
or ten years apart. AS result, Harland
pointed out, 1t is difficult TO obtain con-
victions on third offenses OF speeding,
because juries and judges apparently
feel that q compulsory Jail sentence II
some cases is too severe.
For the first offense driving while
drunk and second offense reckless drlV-
ing, Mr.. Harland said, the court should
be allowed to exercise greater degree
of discretion than at present. He rec
commended that on flrst-ofense driving
while intoxicated and second otfens2
reckless driving it should be left TO the
discretion of the court as TO whether
the defendant is to be sent TO jail OF
fined, but that in all subsequent cases
Jail sentences should apply.
Owing to the compulsory jail SER
tences for convictions of driving while
intoxicated and second offenSe reckless
driving nearly all offenders arrested on
these charges ask for jury trials. and
experience has shown that It Is dill
cult to secure convictions on account
of the compulsory Jail sentence" Har-
land declared. 1T is believed that the
ends of Justice would be served II heavy
fines were imposed for the first onense
and the permits Cancelled. as now pro-
yided by law, and that the present
maximum penalty apply only to re-
peaters."
SO Fatal Accidents.
Mr.. Harland also asked the Com
missioners TO clothe the director OF
traffic with authority to place signs on
public highways and other public places.
Under the existing act, he said, tent
porary signs such as must be placed
by the Police Department IN connection
with parades, funerals, weddings or
fires are not legal and neither the police
NOR the courts can enforce them be-
cause the traffic act provides that
sign placed on a street Is notice OF
a regulation. He explained that 1t IS
practically impossible to pass reguia-
tions which would cover all OF these
situations and secure their enforcement
i'm the courts under the existing act.
The remainder of Mr.. Harlands re-
mort il devoted chiefly 70 statlstlcS
which show that there were 4,l3S acci-
dents during the fiscal year ended
.T,ne 30 last, or about one-han OF the
total since 1925.
The report shows that 1855 OF these
accidents resulted in personal injuries
as compared with 2,Se2 in the precedihg
10 months period and that 50 causea
fatalities. This is an increase on -
over 1927. Seventy-eight OF the dsa'sls
were charged 10 automobiles. elgnt -
street cars. two to motor cycles ana OLE
to a bicycle. .ss,.,ss
where the motorists ptesull.oty 49,,
at fault. according to the report NeLs
RECKLESS driving, failure to yield rlgnt
NJ wav. careless driving, turning III
streets. driving under the influence O
LIQUOR skidding, lost control. oacSlliS'
failing TO give signal and exceeding the
speed limit.
Pedestrians at Fault.
The chief causes OF accidents where
pedestrians presumably were at 1auA@
MFR. Harland said. were crossing not
a crosswalk. stepping nom oehina
parked cars. playing in the street, WatS-
ing in the street. inattentive TO uainc
conditions, crossing at q cfoSS"alN
against a signal and intoxlcauon.
A study of the accidents on the prh1-
cipal streets In the last two years, ac-
cording TO report, shows that PennSyI-
yania and Connecticut avenues had
more accidents than any other thor
oughfares There were 226 accidents
ON Pennsylvania avenue in 1927 ANA
900 in 1926. Connecticut avenue Is
charged with l6l accidents last year
and 25l the preceding year The STA
tiStics also show that there was de
crease Of 80 in 1925 10 Isl In l93f
in the accidents on Fourteenth street
The reduction there, Mr.. Harland said,
as well as on other important streets.
was due to the erection OF stop signs
and 10 the vigorous enforcement Of
traffic laws and regulations,
Mrs Harland called particular atten-
ton to what he described as a re-
markable reduction Of accidents on SiX-
teenth street and ON Massachusetts
avenue, which he attributed largely to
traffic signals and 10 better observance
Of amber lights following the red lights.
Study now is IN progress, he said, 10
determine why accidents increased on
Georgia avenue. Wisconsin avenue and
Ninth street.
Based on traffic fatalities per 100 600
population MIR. Harland declared that
WASHINGTON continues 20 occupy Il IA
vorahle position with other cities
throughout the United states, accord
ing to reports of the Census Bureau.
Traftic fatalities IN Washington during
the So weeks ended June Is. 1929. the
report showed, amounted to lS4 per
100 900. which is lower than any other
city having population equal 10 or
greater than Washington
The report shows that the Tray-
fic Bureau issued SS0l6 drivers per-
mitS during the year which produced
a revenue OF $T3.AS5,5O OF these 2S.-
6sA were new permits. &.S6T were dupli-
Gates and 9.463 were learners permits.
In addition 50 permits were issued free
of charge to members OF the diplomatic
corps.
Permits revoked or suspended during
the year totaled $50. The largest NUM-
ber, ALI, We're taken up for driving while