The Washington times., 1936-02-04
PEDESTRIANS
URGED TO AID
SAFETY DRIVE

targets OF the most dangerous IN
strumentality known to man.
ktnd-the automobile.
Twelve out of the IS traffic IA.
talities so far this year were
pedestrians. Street cars killed
six. Eight lives were snuffed out
under the wheels Of autos.
In the cold, dreary chambers
Of the Ditrict Morgue, the Coro
ner every day hears the solemn
testimony of witnesses to
traffic deaths. Seventy per cent
Of WaShington'S yearly traffic toll
involves pedestrians.
The man on the street doesn't
have q chance.
Launches Campaign
With these facts in mind. Traf.
fic Director william A. Van Du
ger, Police Traffic Supervisor and
Inspector Benjamin A. Lamb and
Police superintendent Ernest w.
Brown today launched a cam
paign to warn the pedestrian,
and If possible obtain his coop
Grafton in protecting his own life.
Although handicapped by a po.
nce force inadequate in numbers,
Inspector Lamb ordered all traf.
fic policemen to make a special
effort 20 protect pedestrians.
But Washington police are al
most helpless, Inspector Lamb
said, adding:
"There is too much speed ON
the part Of mOtOrists-and
pedestrians too, under the con-
ditiOns. The pedestrian il in
too much Of . hurry to get
there.
"'But, II you can warn the
pedestrian-yOu reach both
mOtOriSt and pedestrian"
HAVE TOO MUCH FAITH
Too much faith is placed in
the perfection of mechanical in.
strumentS, Inspector Lamb be.
heveS. According to him, the
only perfect mechanism is the
human body.
"YOu can't control an auto
with bad brakes. Because of
human frailty, law will be
broken in spite of police, jails
and heavy penalties. But the
pedestrian will live longer II
he remembers q few simple
rules"
Inspector Lamb then jotted
down q 7-point rule that all
persons should memorize. They
are:
II. Wait till the light turns
green. A yellow light is q
danger signal.
"2. You can't save steps by
crossing in the middle Of the
block; the mOtOrist iS pro-
tected here.
YOU CAN'T WIN
"3. Don't pick a right-Of-way
argument with an automobile
you can't win.
IL. Never walk into the
street from between two parked
cars-death is swift.
IS. Motorists don't always
stop for loading platforms
autos are brainless.
IS. Be calm when crossing
the street-lOOk both ways
don't run.
!; "7. Don't run for q street
car; look both ways when you
get off"
Police statistics show that those
rules were seldom obeyed last
year. Old persons are the worst
offenders. OF the IL killed this
year, only one was a child. The
remainder averaged So years Of
age.
Fl Ways to Die
There are 81 ways in which
pedestrians are most commonly
killed. Jaywalkers rank first.
.Twenty-Six were killed last year
trying to cross in the middle Of
the block.
Eight persons were killed when
they stepped between parked cars
Into the street. The same mum.
Der died after being mutilated
while trying to cross against traf'
sfic signals.
Six others were caught in the
middle Of the street and tried to
run-their feet failed to carry
them to safety.
Five persons died without know.
ing what struck them. They
walked inattentively across the
street.
Only last week, a middle-aged
woman alighted from a street car
in front of a downtown depart.
;ment store. She pulled her hat
down over her eyes to guard
against the icy wind, A street car
plowed her under. The motor.
man was exonerated. Death was
instantaneous.
Even the man in police head.
quarters who keeps the records OF
all traffic mishapS became the vic
tim of careleSSness. Every day
for four years he personally re
corded traffic deaths, witnessing
on paper the horrible destruction
left in the wake of automobiles
No man knows better than he
how easy it is to make a foolish
mistake.
Yet he himself was taken to the
hospital with three ribs broken
a fractured leg and skull fracture
He gambled with speed-and lost
optometrists to Meet
The District of Columbia Onto