Evening star., 1935-08-04

A second innovation is tIe pId1A'
guard fences along the cufblngs In
cross only at intersections.
The plan, like the beacons' is meet
Ing with considerable opposition, out
officials are determined to put 1t into
effect in limited districts in the near
future to see if this, the elimination
of many, many plans to prevent Jay
walking, might not work,
Up to date officials generally re-
gard the beacon plan as a success,
despite protests of motoring groups.
They are making careful checks OF
accidents and their causes and the
future of the plan will depend en-
tirely on the final results OF these
surveys.
England let many years slip by
before taking definite steps to reduce
accidents. Until three years ago there
was no counterpart Of the American
motor cycle cop on the English high
way. Boobies" directed traffic, here
and there, and now and then, but the
motor cycle cop was regarded as a
sort of peculiarly American creation,
totally dispensable to the English sit
uation. Now England even has two
women serving as motor cycle po-
licemen.
Rising accidents changed the OFF,
cial attitude. Motor cycle squads be-
came an adjunct to the enforcement
agencies and they have remained such
In spite of gigantic wave of motorist
Indignation.
Mental examination for drivers, in
this country still in the experimental
stage. are the subject of intensive re-
search in England. Through the ef-
forts of the National Institute of In
duStrial Psychology an attempt is
being made to devise a psychologist
yardstick by which susceptibility to
mishaps will be revealed before an in
dividual is given license to drive.
Along the same line of learning
more about driving fitness before au-
thorizing the individual to become a
motor vehicle operator, tests are being
worked out t. show that he knows
something of the mechanics of his car
1t will not be enough that one seek
ing a license recognizes the various
controls and their different functions
he also must know how and why they
work as they do.
Segregation of different types OF
traffic is another plank in the plat
form of traffic safety in England. A
very large proportion of that coun-
try'S accidents are the result of the
use of a common road by motorists
and cyclists. In the latter category,
of course, England has a vastly larger
proportion of population than does
the United States, despite the increas-
ing popularity OF bicycling here in re-
cent years. The British are serious
cyclists, propelling themselves around
or two-wheeled vehicles not only for
pleasure, but for business as well.
Because they can think of no bet
ter way to dispose of the hazard thus
created, English officials now are lean
ing toward the development of a spe-
cial road network for cyclists. Centu-
res ago the British Isles boasted a
double system of roads. one, the post
road for rapid transit and the other,
the drovers' roads, for herding and
drayage.
After considerable protest at first,
English motorists finally have acqui-
esced after five years in one of the
most radical bits Of motor legislation
ever enacted-compulsory liability in
surance. As condition to obtaining
D license, the motorist must obtain an
insurance policy which guarantees his
ability to recompense any innocent
victim Of his possibly bad driving.
Motor vehicle officials in England
make no apology for their willingness
to experiment radically. They see
their task as one calling for drastic
action against definitely dangerous
situation.
Building Of great transcontinental
super-express highway from coast to
coast, with feeder roads reaching out
TO every part of the country, is once
more being urged on Congress as part
af the plans for the disposal of the
$4,000, 100000 work-relief project.
However, at this time, not all the
benefits accruing from such a plan
are evident. The project would pro-
vide employment for thousands in
virtually every State. It would provide
Tor local and interstate traffic, offer
q wide right Of way for omnibuses
and trucks as well as passenger cars,
promote interstate communication, de-
Velop new commercial centers, reduce
chipping costs and greatly facilitate
automobile traffic.
The great artery as planned would
traverse New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylyania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mis-
souri,, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado
Utah, Nevada and California, with a
great secondary system running south
from Washington, south from Pitts
burgh, south from Kansas City, north
from New York, north from Indianap-
oils to Chicago and on up into Minnie
sofa and north from Nebraska to
idaho, Oregon and Washington. Work
could be started simultaneously in all
States.
There are many other angles which
haphazard proponents Of the plan
either overlook or purposely forget
about. The right Of way for such q
highway would be so costly that, taken
together with the actual construction
and maintenance costs, would eat up
a tremendous proportion of the money
which has been invested and will be
invested later IN the State and Fed
eral highway systems already existing,
The need for such a road. too, re-
mains somewhat in doubt. Even the
most sanguine Of highway proponents
know there is a saturation point to
be reached in improved roads, and
there Is serious doubt that there ex-
lists any reason for building more su-
perhighways for relatively light traffic.
while more than three-fourths Of the
Nations primary roads are still un-
improved.
Motorists in eight States viii profit
from reduced registration fees as q
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