Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-05
Six Accidents, in Which Seven
Received Minor Injuries,
Are Reported.
SAFETY DRIVE is GETTING
RESULTS, BROWN SAYS
Motor Patrol Of 80 Expected to
Be in Working Order
by August /.

Traffic arrests over the Fourth Of
July took the customary holiday drop,
the total of motorists arrested being
only 1877 for the 24-hour period ending
at 8 o'clock this morning.
A total of six accidents, in which
seven persons received minor injuries,
was reported to police.
The efforts of the special traffic
squad to suppress excessively fast driv-
ing resulted in the apprehension of 80
speeders. Seven arrests were made for
reckless driving, for driving while
drunk, for leaving after colliding and
125 for miscellaneous offenses.
Brown Believes Results Produced.
Pointing out that there has not been
one serious accident in Washington
since the traffic safety campaign was
started, more than a week ago, Inspector
E. w. Brown, in charge of the Traffic
Bureau, expressed the belief today that
the safety drive has produced positive
and permanent results.
He believes that the wide publicity
given the campaign and the vigorous
efforts on the part of the police have
served to teach Washington motorists
needed lesson in careful driving,
which, if not permanent in itself, will
be made so by continued vigilance.
The inspector expects to have his
full sized motor cycle patrol of 80 or
more men in working order by the first
of August. This patrol, operating as a
single unit under Inspector Browns
personal supervision and direction, is a
departure from the old system of traffic
law enforcement.
Work Directly Under Bureau.
They will work out of and report to
the Traffic Bureau directly, instead of
through their individual precincts, as
was customary under the old system.
This, he feels, will result in more eff
Gent work, as the motor unit will be
more flexible and responsible to single
head. Their places in the precincts
are to be taken by police automobiles.
which are considered safer than motor
cycles for the particular type Of work
involved.
Inspector Brown said he is trying
his men out at the present time, so
that only the most effective workers
will be chosen when the final selections
are made for the traffic patrol.
His proposed ordinance to prohibit
taxicab cruising on F and G streets from
hands of the corporation counSefS Office,
where it was sent for recommendation
as to its legality. Inspector Brown is
anxious to see this change made in the
traffic regulations, for he believes it will
result in less downtown congestion dur
ing the busy hours. He said it is in ef-
feet in nearly all large cities, and has
been shown to be a potent factor in
improving traffic conditions generally.
Thirty Fined on $1-a-mile System.
The Police Court lists this morning
bore the names of but 119 motorists, de-
spite the heavy holiday traffic. The ma
jority of these forfeited collateral in
preference to standing trial.
More than 80 speeders who appeared
in court today were fined on the dollar
annie" plan of Judge Gus A. Schuldt,
which fixes sentence at 81 for every
mile Travelled in excess of the speed
limit. If, however, the motorist was
not speeding at 10 miles in excess, a
minimum fine of $40 was imposed.
The court this morning was occupied
in the trials of those arrested for
speeding or less serious offenses, while
reckless driving cases were postponed
when the court would be less crowded
with petty offenders.
The time-worn alibi of a broken or
inefficient speedometer, given by many
speeders as an excuse, failed to aid
them.