Evening star., 1936-03-10
AUTO INSPECTION
PLANREJECTEDBY
BUDGET BUREAU
Bell Says He Is Unable to
Determine Value in Re.
ducing Accidents.
INFORMS CITY HEADS
OF ACTION IN LETTER
Keystone Engineer Urges Exten-
sion of Staggered Opening and
Closing Plan in Offices.

The Budget Bureau today turned
thumbs down on the measure spon-
sored by the Commissioners which
would require semi annual mechanical
inspection of all motor vehicles.
In letter to the Commissioners
Acting Budget Director Daniel w.
Bell said that while it is difficult to
object to the principles Of the plan, Il
have been unable to determine, either
from the director of traffic or from
available statistics, just what such in
spection is worth In actual reduction
of accidents in cities which now have
inspections
Mechanical Defects Low.
"Less than per cent of vehicles
involved in accidents In the District
are reported as having some mechan-
ical defect, usually either defective
brakes or lights, and only per cent
Of fatal accidents were caused by We
hicles having mechanical defects.
Even on the assumption that all
these could have been prevented had
the vehicles been in good mechanical
condition, there Is still the question
as to whether semi-annual inspection
would assure that all vehicles would
be in such condition, which, Of course.
must be answered in the negative"
Bell also questioned whether the de-
sired result could not be obtained
at less cost or possibly at no cost at
all, by carrying On inspections through
designation of existing private garages
as offcial testing stations. He said the
majority of States having inspections
use that method.
Makes TRAFFIC Suggestions.
Meanwhile, before the House special
Traffic Subcommittee William S. Can
ming, engineering director of the Key
stone Automobile Club, urged further
extension Of the staggered opening
and closing plan In the Government
Departments and its application to
the public schools.
Canning also made a series of other
recommendations designed to improve
traffic conditions. These included:
l. An increase in the police force.
2. Specialized training of traffic Of
ficers.
8. An enlarged accident investiga-
ton analysis set UP to check on all
accidents, with the objective of bring
ing the guilty to justice.
4. Assignment of rowing mechan-
ical inspection crews to clear the
streets of unsafe cars.
5. Extension of the system of one
way streets during rush-hour periods
6. More Fairgrounds for children to
keep them of the streets after school
hours and during vacation periods.
Fixing" Is Not Evil.
Canning also told the subcommittee
that ticket fixing" in Washington is
not an evil, pointing out that adjust
ments made in some cases have an
educational value.
A Police Department record was
introduced by Canning, showing that,
of 75,174 arrests for various traffic
offenses in 1885, there was conviction
or definite court disposition in all but
1,7o0 cases. Some Of these 1,70o, he
explained, were turned over to mill
tary authorities or to the National
Training School for Boys or resulted
in suspended sentences.
Canning pointed out, however, that
fixing" had reached extensive pro-
portions in some cities. In Philadel-
phia In 1929, he said, 162,00 tickets
were issued, but only about 1000 paid
fines.
The subcommittee is making a
study of fixing"
MY idea Of ticket fixing that
should be stopped" said Chairman
Carpenter, "is in the case of a mo-
torist who is arrested for speeding or
some other major traffic violation and
uses influence to escape punishment.
That should not be tolerated. don't
care whether he is rich or poor"