Evening star., 1933-03-10
Protection for Pedestrians
Provided, With Change
in Right-of-W Way.
ADVISORY COUNCIL HELPS
IN MAKING FINAL DRAFT
Main Purpose Of Change Is to Bring
Capital Laws in Line With Other
U. S. Ordinances.

District officials, In cooperation with
members of the Traffic Advisory
Council, today were completing the fina!
draft OF proposed new traffic code
which would set up more definite rye,
lection for pedestrians and effect soiz:.:s
changes in rules of right-o way.
The main purpose Of the new draft.
1t is explained, is to bring the District
code in line with standard forms of the
model municipal traffic ordinance pro-
posed by the National Conference on
Street and Highway Safety, perfected
in 1890.
The draft is being completed BY
Corporation Counsel w. W. Bride, with
the assistance of Edward w. Thomas
assistant corporation counsel, and
members of the Advisory Council.
William A. Van Duzer the traffic
director. also is active in the work.
Protects Pedestrians.
A new phrasing Of section Of the
code dealing with pedestrians is ex-
pected to provide more definite pro-
lection for them at intersections. This
provides that no driver Of any vehicls
approaching from the rear of any other
vehicle, which has stopped at a cross
walk or any intersection to permit q
pedestrian to cross the roadway, shall
overtake and pass such standing vehicle
Records of the traffic director show
many serious accidents have been
caused here by one car passing, at an
intersection, another car which has
halted to permit pedestrian to cross
the intersection, only to be struck by
the second moving vehicle.
The new draft also provides that at
intersections where traffic is controlled
by traffic signals or by police officers,
drivers of vehicles shall yield the right
OF way to pedestrians crossing, or those
who have started to cross, the road
way on a go signal In all other
cases, pedestrians are to yield the right
OF way to vehicles proceeding directly
ahead on go" signal.
Right of Way Cleared.
In another section of the proposed
draft there are some changes in other
rules Of right of way. These para
graphs read:
"A vehicle approaching an intersec-
ton shall slow down and be kept under
such control as to avoid colliding with
pedestrians or vehicles. The driver of
vehicle approaching an intersection
| shall yield the right of way to a ve-
hicle which has entered the intersection.
When two vehicles enter an intersection
at the same time, the driver of the We
hicle on the left shall yield to the driver
ON the right.
"At any through street or other point
at which an official stop" sign has
been erected. all vehicles shall come
to complete stop and shall yield to
! other vehicles within the intersection
or approaching so close thereto as to
constitute an immediate hazard, but
said driver having so yielded may pro-
ceed and other vehicles approaching the
intersection shall yield to the vehicle
so proceeding into or across said In
tersection.
THE driver Of a vehicle within an
intersection intending to turn to the
left shall yield to any vehicle approach
ing from the opposite direction which is
within the intersection or so close there
to as to constitute an immediate hazard
but said driver having so yielded and
having given a signal, when and as re-
quired by law, may make such left
turn, and other vehicles approaching
the intersection from said opposite di-
rection shall yield to the driver making
the left turn"
Added Provision Drafted.
Another new paragraph as now
ui oAeeo, SSeu aS prOtectlOn 70 peoeS-
trians crossing intersections, is one pro-
hibiting vehicles from stopping on a
crosswalk. While this rule has been in
effect In the past, the wording is made
more specific. Its Importance is seen
in downtown intersections at rush
hours when vehicles often run over
crosswalks before halting on stop sig
mails.
In the new draft also Is a definite
provision that vehicles driven along
street car tracks shall Immediately
leave the tracks on signal by a street
car.