Evening star., 1936-01-12

It Is a drastic regulation, to be 81
column from time to time that dras-
tic measures were forthcoming, unless
the driving public mended its ways.
AS a matter of fact, the suggestion
was made by the writer, when director
OF The Stars Safety Council, that
suspensions of permits might be pre-
scribed instead of the payment Of
fines. On November 20, 1885. The
Star carried on the first page signed
story by the writer advocating q 10
point program in the interests Of
traffic safety.
Recommendation No. called for
cancellation Of permits for long
period. and permanently in the more
serious cases. Amplifying this sug-
gestion, the writer declared: Cancel
lation of permits is a stringent way
Of attacking recklessness. but it is
an efficient one. 1t seems that not
enough of it is being done and often
the cancellation is merely short
suspension. Cancellation Is final and
harsh, but if the deed done is of such
q nature. then the sentence fits the
crime"
The writer further stated: Speak
ing of suspension, it might be good
thing to use this method sometimes in
the place of fines. A three-day sus-
pension for speeding might mean a
lot more to the driver than a SIS
fine. There is a certain ignominy
about losing your permit for few
days. A Police Court fine not neces-
sarily comes to the knowledge of your
family or friends. If you are unable
to drive for a certain time many will
know about it. 1t is real chastise-
ment and surely would tend to make
speeders go slow if they knew what
the verdict upon arrest might be-"
At the conclusion of The Star Coun-
ellis active safe-driving campaign the
drive was turned over to the police,
traffic and court officials to do their
part. It would appear they are doing
SO. Police Court judges are under
stood to be planning to fine speeders
as they have in the past, regardless
Of what may happen to the permits
thereafter. Additional police-113-
were asked during the next fiscal
year, but, unfortunately, the number
has been severely cut to seven in the
budget. This, however. may be cor
rected.
The Board of Revocation and Sus-
pension of Operators Permits, as
agents Of the District Commissioners,
has full authority under the amended
District traffic act to carry out their
plans, according to the corporation
counsel's Office. Their plans, promul-
gated last week, should be approved
by every citizen of the National Cap
ital wishing safety on the streets OF
the city. Motor vehicle commission
ers in Maryland and Virginia have
been asked to cooperate.
M o. Eldridge, assistant traffic di-
rector, Is chairman of the board here.
The schedule expected to go into ef-
feet this week provides for the first
offense, where conviction involves a
speed of between 35 and 40 miles an
hour, Is days suspension; 40 to so
miles an hour, 80 days suspension;
more than so miles an hour, revoca-
ton.
For the second offense within year,
for conviction involving IS to 40 miles
an hour. 80 days suspension; 40 to
SO miles an hour, As days suspension.
For the third offense within a year
the suspension will be from three to
six months or more.
These suspensions, Eldridge ex-
planned, are minimums, and will not
change the policy of the board IN re-
voking or suspending permits for 9TH
er reasons which may be grounds for
suspension or revocation. Suspensions
for longer periods will follow convic-
tions for offenses occurring at night
on streets congested with traffic or
when other circumstances warrant
longer suspension.
The boards first action called for
suspension of permits after a convic-
ton of between 80 and 40 miles per
hour, but the Commissioners asked
that it be changed to 35 to 40. Will
liam A. Van Duzer, traffic director,
was in accord with the whole pro-
ceedings.
A permit revoked may not be re-
issued until the board, after a hear
ing, determines it the proper thing
to do. Resistance may be refused
from time to time, making the period
almost indefinite. The present law
does not allow the permit to be act
ually permanently taken away, but re-
fusal again and again to give it back
practically means the same thing.
Unquestionably the new regulation
will reduce fatalities and accidents
here, and that is what is to be most
desired.
Whatever may have happened with
respect to auto fatalities in 1885 for
the country at large, there are several
indications that fatal auto accidents
were fewer in the urban population
last year and that whatever increase,
If any occurred, was in the rural dis
tricts.
The best indication Of a drop in city
automobile fatalities Is a decline, up
to the end of November, Of nearly s
per cent In deaths Of this type among
100000 industrial policy holders Of
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co
These people live almost entirely In
the cities. Supplementing this is the
recently released statement by the
Department Of Commerce that in SO
large cities there were 291 fewer fatal
ities than in 1884 up to December a.
Metropolitan reports from Canada
show that up to the end of November
there was q drop Of 20 per cent in
automobile deaths among approx
mately one and one-quarter million Of
Metropolitan policy holders living in
the cities of that country. Better or
ganization of safety movements In
cities is probably responsible for this
decrease.
There Is, fortunately, every indica-
tion that the country has been aroused