Evening star., 1932-09-02
Of DRIVERS
V|OL AT|NG LAWS,
VAN DUzER FINDS
Fail to Observe Simple Traffic
Rules Here, Survey
Shows.
PUBLIC AID SOUGHT
TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS
Speeding, Cutting Corners, Failure
to Give Right of Way and Pass
ing at Intersection Cited.

Traffic Director William A. Van Duzer
announced today that series OF scien-
tific studies of traffic conditions con-
Quoted by his department revealed that
approximately 25 per cent of Washing
ton drivers fail to observe simple regu-
lations promulgated in the interest of
public safety.
The violations, Mr.. Van Duzer pointed
out, consist chiefly of speeding. failing
to yield the right Of way, passing an
other vehicle at an intersection and cut
ting corners.
Drivers who persistently violate these
safety rules are considered a menace to
safety. In other words. Mr.. Van Duzer
said they are contributing to conditions
which cause unnecessary accidents.
Checkers at Work.
The conclusions were drawn from OBJ
servations made by traffic checkers at
different intersections in various parts
OF the District. In most cases. intersec-
tions were picked where accidents had
occurred. Some Of the intersections
where studies we're made. however, were
those named in complaints of bad traf-
f1c conditions.
Typical of, the situation at the va
r1ous intersections, Mr.. Van DuZer cited
the result Of observations at the inter-
section OF Seventeenth and T streets.
During the period of the study 1,022
vehicles passed this intersection and
388 were observed violating the safety
regulations.
Two hundred and sixteen Of the
violations, the largest number, were
speeding. Other violations noted were
Failing to yield the right of way, 46;
Ntrff ffp,dv ~ F~l1
right OF way to pedestrians, 80; pass
ing another car at the intersection. 90;
driving on the left of the center line,
g. turning left from the right lane. 4;
failing to slow down for SLOW" signs,
20. and entering one-way street the
wrong way, 8.
Filled With Danger.
Any one Of these violations, Mr.. Van
Duzer pointed out, may have resulted
in an accident.
Another study made by the traffic
checkers was devoted to the speed Of
vehicles between certain blocks, par
ticularly those In the outlying sections,
where conditions are conducive to fast
travelling. In this survey. which Is not
yet completed, 1t was found that for
vehicles coming in from Maryland and
Virginia roads where speeds of 40 and
IS miles, respectively, are permitted,
there is hesitation on the part of the
driver to slow down to the legal limit
In the District. This is believed to be
a psychological condition which makes
a driver feel he Is moving at a snail
pace at % miles an hour after driving
40 and As miles an hour.
The speed study also revealed that
commercial vehicles and taxicabs show
ed more of a tendency to speed than
private vehicles. One Of the charts,
however, recorded race between two
privately-owned cars on Connecticut
avenue in which both vehicles were run
ming about 80 miles an hour.
Mr.. Van DuZer plans to compare the
reults of the studies in Washington
with traffic conditions In Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh, where similar surveys
are being made to give traffic authori-
ties a more comprehensive picture OF
traffic trends which will enable them
through educational campaigns to in
crease highway safety.
Scores Timid Driver.
In a speech at the Cosmopolitan Club
yesterday, Mr. Van DuZer advocated
the use of psychology tests to eliminate
the over-timid driver, who he described
as unfit to operate a motor vehicle.
Mr.. Van DuZer said the timid driver
is more liable to cause an accident than
the lf-confident driver because Of
slowness to act in an emergency.
In view of the fact that drivers are
responsible for SO per cent Of accidents
and defective vehicles only per cent,
Mr.. Van Duzer declared that appli-
cants for permits to operate a machine
eventually must be given more severe
tests.