Evening star., 1935-01-12
Commissioner, However,
Sees Difficulty in Enforcing
Van Duzer Proposal.
IMPRESSED BY FIGURES
OF TRAFFIC DIRECTOR
Survey Reveals ~ Per Cent Of
Persons Killed Crossing Street
Were Not at Intersection.

Adoption of a ban on "jay walking,
proposed by Traffic Director William
A. Van Duzer as one of series o.
six additional steps to curb accidents
today met with the off hand approval
of Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen. He
foresaw difficulties of enforcement
however.
The plan will be subjected to study
before action is taken by the Boarc
grew out of survey of the causes OF
accidents made by the traffic director
at the request of Hazen.
The Commissioner said he had not
yet analyzed the findings, but de-
clared conditions here indicate the
need of "a drive against jay walking y
He believes pedestrians should be
warned against jay walking before po-
lice invoke arrests.
Impressed With Findings.
Hazen was impressed by a finding
by Van Duzer that more than n per
cent of the pedestrians killed while
crossing the street are those who cross
not at intersections, while but 6 per
cent of all pedestrians cross between
intersections.
"Of course" he added. "any pro-
posal for prohibiting jaywalking
brings up the question of where are
we to find enough policemen to en-
force the regulation.
The proposal revives a plan tried
out here unsuccessfully about 10
years ago. There was great public
protest against the plan at that time.
Five other proposals for improv-
ing traffic conditions. advanced BY
Trafilc Director Van Duzer, were:
That all persons be required to pass
an examination on the traffic regula-
tions before their permits are re-
newed, this to be adopted if and when
necessary personnel is provided for
handling the increased work.
That the regulation requiring issu-
ance Of To-day pay permit pending
investigation and record of the appli-
cant be re-inStated.
Signals by Street Cars.
That the Public Utilities Commits
sion be asked to study desirability of
requiring street cars to be equipped
with signaling devices to indicate the
intention of the motorman to stop or
turn
That establishment of additional
cab stands in the congested area and
the abolition of taxicab cruising
throughout that area be studied.
That police be instructed to con-
centrate on more rigid enforcement
OF the following accident-causing vio-
lations:
Speeding, particularly on boule-
wards; failure to stop at stop signs;
failure to yield right of way to vehicles
failure to yield right of way to pedes-
trians; failure to yield right of way
to cars entering boulevard streets
after having stopped and entered in
tersection; turning from wrong lane:
failure to give signal before stopping
or turning; passing other cars at in
tersections and driving to the left of
the center OF a street, especially at
controlled intersections.
He suggested also that all drivers
involved in accidents be subjected to
examination on the regulations.
Justification for Ban.
Van Duzer found justification for
his proposed ban on jaywalking in &C.
cident records showing that it Is 3.27
times more dangerous and 2.67 times
more deadly to cross streets against
signals.
Counts made at every signal con-
trolled intersection in the congested
area indicated that 36 per cent of the
pedestrians cross or attempt to cross
against the red signal, he reported
OF q total of 664,497 persons counted.
240,611 crossed on the red signals.
In the fiscal year 1884 8 deaths
and 122 injuries were sustained by
persons crossing against the signal,
as against 2 deaths and 81 injuries
sustained by those crossing with .ne
signal. In the first II months of 1884.
he added, 4 pedestrians were killed
while crossing against the signal.
AT no time in the congested area
is o pedestrian required to wait over
~ seconds before receiving the signal
and the crosswalk space is adequate
Tor the volume except for a few hours
on Saturday afternoons.
1T frequently happens, however.
that the pedestrian is unable to make
use OF the full time allowed by the
green light and that he is forced back
to the curb by vehicles making right
and left turns. Under the regulations
As now written the pedestrian has the
right OF way when he is crossing on
proper signal. If any one is to wait
1t must be the driver and not the
pedestrian"
Jaywalker in Danger.
From other studies Van Duzer
found that a jaywalker is IL times
more likely to be injured and 81 times
more likely to be killed than a person
who crosses streets at their inter-
sections.
During the fiscal year 1894, 81
deaths and 443 injuries were sustained
by jaywalkers and II deaths and 800
injuries by those who crossed at inter-
sections. During the first IL months
OF 1883, az persons were Killed while
jaywalking.
In support of his plan to ban
cruising by taXicabs in the congested
area, Van Duzer produced figures to
show that SO per cent of the cabs
driven In that area are without pas
1engers. Counts show that II per cent
u the traffic in this area consists Of
empty taxicabs, although all of WASH
1ngton's taxicabs account for but 1856
per cent Of the total Of registered
automobiles.
Cabs cruising about, stopping to
pick up passengers at corners and on
cross walks seriously impede traffic, he
said. To prohibit this would be to i'm
prove traffic conditions downtown
about II per cent, Van Duzer esti-
mated.