Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
PROBLEM IN CURB
0NAUTO SPEEDING
Writer Discusses Question in
.oAH Its Phases-Quotes
Various Opinions.

There Is q lot of talk these days
about respect for law. Among these
laws which are quite unduly disre-
garded are some which pertain to the
speed at which automobiles shall be
driven OH our American highways. Now
the question arises-what should be
done about this situation? On the one
hand are the automobile accident sta
tistics, which are impressive and lead
10 the conclusion that there is room
for improvement in some fashion. On
the other hand are the latest models
of cars which are capable of safe travel
ut fairly high rates of speed.
Should the removal of restrictions
rs to speed improve this situation?
Some maintain that accidents are due
more to reckless driving than to speed,
and consequently that emphasis should
be put on safe driving rather than a
Limitation of speed. Others who have
studied the question maintain that
there must be restriction on speed,
especially under present road condi-
tions, as we'll as a campaign for more
care on the part OF motorists in driving
Abolition Of Curbs Suggested.
At recent meeting of the National
Safety Council one of the leaders in the
automobile manufacturing field sug-
rested the feasibility of abolishing all
speed laws. While this sounds radical,
1t appears that eight States in the
~. S. A. have already given up laws
restricting speed on open country roads.
'srhese are Connecticut, Vermont, Geor-
Eta, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin
kansas and Montana.
Some Of the advocates of the abolish
knent of automobile speed restrictions
believe that the result would be a pos
sibility for traffic officers to give greater
attention to eliminating reckless driv-
lng.
1t is probably true that automobile
speed laws are not generally keeping
APP to the developments in the auto
mobile industry or to the developments
an the construction of highways in this
country. Twenty years ago automobiles
were seldom found exceeding a 20
Enile-an hour rate of speed. A decade
ago the average speed was probably
about 80 miles an hour. Now auto
mobiles are manufactured on a basis
which makes driving safe at 40 miles an
hour or even more If the car is in
the hands of capable driver and If
the highway Is in first-class condition.
Naturally this increase in speed cannot
30 on indefinitely. 1t may be that 10
years from now so miles an hour will
be an average speed, but beyond that
It is doubtful this can be much increas-
ID without considerable changes in
ether areas. i
Lines of Development Forecast.
The above, however, suggests two
mnes of development which will prob
ably take place. The first Is that mo-
florists must implicitly appreciate their
responsibility and must more and more
eliminate any of the tendencies which
are in the direction of careless driving.
The other improvement which should
take place, because 1t has been taking
place consistently since the automobile
became a factor in American life, will
be found in more and better highways.
when highways are constructed so that
there will be very few pedestrians
needing to use them, there will be a
very few crossings and no dangerous
railroad crossings, when they will be
wide enough so that there will be no
hazard In one car passing another
when going In the same direction, when
khere will be separate highways for
trucks and commerce cars-then the
less important, provided the motorist
will use care along with speed.
AS far as the mechanism Of the auto
mobile Is concerned, 1t has already ar
rived ut q stage where it appears able
10 stand up well under continuous driv-
sng at q good rate of speed.
It Is quite possible that there may be
heed for laws to be passed which will
require motorists to travel on certain
highways at a specified number of
miles an hour in order to increase the
safety rate. 1t is well known that many
accidents occur when a driver COM
ing up behind another car has to pass
this car because the car ahead Is driv-
ing along at a very slow rate OF speed.
such q car on the road necessarily has
20 be passed by every other car coming
up behind, or else there would be q
long string of automobiles going at a
the procession. OF course, If the roads
are made wide enough SO that there
would be at least two good-sized lines
Of trafhc in each direction, the slow
moving cars could enjoy their slow
progress to their hearts content while
hhey kept in a right-hand line Of traffic.
Problem for Scientists.
It is probable that q contribution to
This problem can be made II scientific
tests can be conducted to determine
sust how far apart the automobiles may
travel safely at different rates of speed.
II this can be worked out, 1t will be
possible to indicate by signs along the
highway what rate Of speed could be
safely INDUCED in for a number Of
miles ahead and what distance should
the driver have between himself and
the next car ahead.
II each car could maintain this dis
lance, and If they all maintain the
maximum speed consistent with safety,
a great many accidents may be avoided
without any sacrifice so far as the speed
element is concerned.
On the other hand, there are numer-
Gus students of the automobile situa-
ton who maintain that there is need
Tor automobile speed laws; in fact,
that such laws should be made more
severe and should be better enforced
Those who advocate this kind of pro-
cedure usually bring forward the fig
ires of those killed or injued annually
In automobile accidents. These latter
are impressive. If we can have differ
ent States experimenting In different