Evening star., 1935-12-03
TRAFFIC REPORTS
BY DRIVERS URGED
Designating All Motorists
Z Observers Proposed to
Safety Council.

Destination Of every motorist in
The District of Columbia as a traffic
observer, with the right to report any
fragrant and dangerous violations OF
trafic rules, is recommended to The
Evening Star Safety Council by M. T.
Charlton, one of the many Washing
tonians who have submitted written
suggestions to the council in connec-
ton with its campaign.
Mr.. Charlton recommends that
every licensed driver be provided with
Q form of complaint card on which
violations could be reported to the
authorities and made q matter OF
record against the offender.
"The card" he said, would be In
home predetermined form requiring
only notation Of the offenders license
plate number, the traffic infraction
or complaint, space for signature, and
such other particulars as would be
thought necessary for making the in
itial report and would thereafter re-
uuire only the afixing of a postage
stamp and mailing to bring the incl
dent to the attention Of the author
lties.
Complaint Would Be Recorded.
"Once the tnfractions were made
known to the authorities, such steps
as they consider proper could follow.
but In any event the complaint would
be a matter of record. If this system
were in force and given the proper
publicity, 1t would seem to follow that
the public knowledge that reckless,
nasty, and dangerous driving actions
could and probably would be reported
by fellow drivers and would stand
thenceforth on the offenders record,
would act as a powerful deterrent on
those who now are needless OF the
sometimes momentary yet real danger
In which they place the lives OF
Others"
Mr.. Charlton expressed the belief
that the complaint system could be
developed Ito constitute an ever
present restraint on careless and reck-
less driving"
"One thing is sure" he concluded,
Ssome simple and economically prac-
tical system must be evolved TO en-
force safe driving methods, so why
not give drivers themselves an effec-
tive weapon which can be used WITH
out any great pother?"
Excerpts from some of the other
letters received by The Star Coun-
Gil follow:
"Your campaign for safer streets
has the unqualified Endorsement OF
every right thinking citizen but, as
the number Of deaths and accidents
mounts, there are too many people
who do not think right and are not
cooperating with you. Time will prove
there Is only one way to get these
people In line Cor drive them of the
road and that is by "Mr. John Law
making an intensive drive and for our
Judges to inflict heavier fines and
Jail sentences.
"a larger police force is necessary
to handle this appalling situation
Just why cannot we have the required
number Of police? Had not there bet
ter be q skimping elsewhere and ap-
propriate for q sufficient number o1
men to put stop to these reckless
murderers? This death rate anc
number Of accidents amounts to q
condition Of war and II the authori-
ties will realize that some drastic de.
terrent must be applied, and will
have the courage to enforce same
then and not until then will oul
streets be any safer. These reckless
speed-mad drivers are fast becoming
as bad as machine gun bandits.
Disguised Officers Suggested.
why not have the traffic men dis
guised and placed where the lawlesS
driver can be seen and apprehended
No man or woman proceeding within
the allowed rate and conforming to
signals will have anything happen to
them but on the other hand the po-
lice will be materially helped in their
work and each one Of us will bene-
ut. I'll bet that the man or woman
who opposes this suggestion is a po-
tential reckless or dangerous driver
Many helpful suggestions have been
made since the opening Of your drive,
q majority Of which are sound and
would help If embodied in the traf-
&c regulations.
Efforts have been made to secure
legislation requiring drivers to indem-
nifty their victims. What good is in
den1nity to o dead man, or woman,
or to the parents Of q dead child?
It is right and Just but what we
want is safer streets and less talk
of indemnity. In other words pre-
vent the accidents before they hap
pen by cracking down on each and
every offender and before long these
speed demons will realize their mania
does not pay. The one word, speed,
Is the cause Of o great majority of