Evening star., 1935-07-30
Traffic Safety School
Is Greatly Needed Here
To the Editor of The Star:

TO the Editor OF the star:
"We have carried on safety campaign
Of eight weeks and what have we had?
More deaths and a greater number OF
accidents. Now I'm going to crack
down." says a high police official. All
well and good. But what we need is not
a weeks traffic campaign, nor months
drive, but years safety campaign-an
indefinite one. SO to speak.
1t is highly regrettable that Maj.
Brown has been forced to inf1ict his
drastic traffic order upon the local
motorists. Whether or not he is justi-
fed in his action is not my point to
argue. But he is only trying to do the
best he can and for that deserves great
credit.
Many means have been tried to show
the driver the error in his ways. Yet
how many have availed themselves of
the opportunity? That program is not
for me-" said the SNUG. complacent
drivers when they read of it or heard it
coming in over the radio. They felt
too well equipped in the driving line to
heed its call.
There is one thing badly needed in
this city at the present time and that
Is a traffic safety education school, such
dS IL AL uldtIy Va Vic &c
cities of this country. Many drivers
thumb up their noses at such an idea.
Yet it is surprising how many old hands
at the wheel can stand and profit from
little education ON the subject Of
safe driving.
For instance, the other evening, dur
ing rush hour. I came home with a very
capable driver, young woman Of over
aynnrianna Che droVQ
we'll but at one of the circles she veered
of and made right turn from the left
lane of traffic. The result was, not one,
but two very near accidents and bad,
momentary traffic jam. Now, it prob
ably never occurred to her that in seek
ing to make a right turn she should first
make her way to the right of the street
before attempting to make the turn. A
traffic school could teach her.
Likewise, the willful traffic violator
could stand to learn much in such an
institution. A forced session of attend
ance, with its attendant loss of time and
pay, would result in far greater benefit
than the imposition of fine or a Jail
sentence would afford.
However, all the Goals of fire are not
to be heaped on the heads of the motor
lists. What about the careless, thought-
less mothers who allow their small chill
dren to play and roam about the streets
all day unattended? Are they not just
as guilty? And should they not be in
structed just as much as the automobile
driver?
I asked a friend of mine the other
day why she did not keep her children
in the yard and let them play there in
nf
What are you going to do" said she,
when you have no back yard? Or
when you have one that's as big as a
postage Stamp?"
That brings us down to another group
not so much in need of sympathy as
they are of education, the real estate
operators and home builders. Particu-
larly those persons who because of their
pinch-penny methods, niggardlineSs and
greed build houses back to back" with
no lot or intervening space between.
They ignore every good principle Of
health. sanitation and correct home
building for the purpose of squeezing in
another boxlike house that rightly de-
serves TO place there. 1t is this group
that is sadly in need of education. And
restriction, If conditions are to improve.
1Here SHOULD De ClIy DullQlng regu-
lation that all dwellings have a certain
prescribed amount of back yard space.
and, failing that, permits to build should
be refused
Finally. let 1t be said that if we have
bad situation on our hands it is be-
cause we make it so. II there were q
little more cooperation, heed and con-
sideration of others rights there would
be no need to impose drastic penalties
JOSEPH D. AMBROSE,