Evening star., 1936-05-03
'JAY-WALK|NG' BAN
TO Be CONSIDERED
Commissioners Get Plan for
Business Area From
Van Duzer.

A new effort to obtain a ban on
"jay-walking as move to cut down
death on Washington highways, was
made yesterday by Traffic Director
William A. Van Duzer.
He placed before the Commissioners
proposed amendment to the traffic
regulations to require pedestrians to
traverse streets in the downtown sec
tion only at designated cross walks
and then only at the go" signal of
policemen or automatic signal lights.
Commissioner Melvin c. HaZen, to
whom the draft was submitted, made
no comment. but it is probable the
recommendation will be considered
soon by the Board of Commissioners.
For violation of the proposed rule
there would be a maximum fine of
$500 or Jail sentence of year in de-
fault of payment of the maximum
fine. or imposition of a straight Jail
sentence of 10 days.
Amendment Is Proposed.
Van Duzer proposed an amendment
which would read:
mo pedestrian shall cross a road
way other than by crosswalk with
in the congested district zone II as
defined in these regulations, or dis
obey the instructions of the police
men. traffic crossing control sign or
signal at any intersection affected by
this section"
Zone l is bounded roughly by New
York avenue and K street on the
north, Seventh street on the east,
Pennsylvania avenue and E street on
the south and Fifteenth street on the
west.
Last Winter Van Duzer proposed a
city-wide ''jay-walking" ban at a
special meeting of the Commissioners,
which was broadcast. during a cam
paign for traffic safety, conducted by
The Star.
At the time, his suggestion was re-
ferred to the Office of the corporation
counsel for study. The plan was held
in allegiance until yesterday when Van
DuZer submitted the amended pro-
posal.
"a large number of cities now have
pedestrian control and require pedes-
trians to cross at intersections and
prohibit such crossings in the middle
of the block" Van Duzer said.
During the fiscal year 1885. 67.5
per cent of all fatalities were pedes-
trians, of which 24.5 per cent were
caused by pedestrians crossing not at
crosswalks, while 1875 per cent of the
total pedestrian fatalities were caused
by pedestrians stepping into the street
from behind parked cars, 10 per cent
were caused by playing or walking in
the street, and per cent by crossing
against signal.
1T is apparent to any one who will
analyze these figures that there is
urgent need for pedestrian regulation
in the District, one which requires pc
destrians to exercise the same degree
of precaution and care in crossing the
street as is required by motor vehicle
drivers who operate their cars on the
streets.
Regulation Sought Previously.
"An effort was made some years
ago to adopt regulation of this kind,
but at that time the act Of Congress
did not contemplate pedestrian con-
troll. The act then dealt exclusively
with motor vehicles. Later on, the
act was so amended as to provide for
pedestrian control, but since that time
no effort has been made to amend
the regulations so as to provide for
such control.
within the next few days pedes-
trian signals are to be installed at two
intersections within the congested dis
trict (along F street,. These signals
will not work satisfactorily unless Pc
destrians obey the signals. There are
a number Of points in the congested
district where pedestrians continuously
cross the street against proper signal,
thereby endangering themselves and
interfering with the movement Of We
hicles proceeding on proper signals.
"It is believed that the time has
now arrived when a pedestrian regu-
lation should be adopted"