Evening star., 1937-09-20
Waiting for Miracles Not
A Remedy for Traffic Ills.
To the Editor of The Star:

Ho, hum! District of Columbia Off
cials are about to start another drive"
against weary motorists. We may now
expect one more hike in the rate of fines,
another breakdown campaign on all
drlverS-and another increase in the
death and accident rate.
without attempting to belttle the
very real problems which confront the
traffic authorities it has often seemed
to me that there is surprising lack of
common sense in the administration of
traffic affairs
WNat are the obvious facts? l. That
large percentage of accidents are the
unavoidable result of congested traffic
caused by the large ratio of car owners
to total population in Washington and
suburbs and by the concentration of
Federal buildings in a small area. 2.
That there is no way of lowering the
accident rate beyond an irreducible
minimum so long as Washington's mass
transportation system remains in its
present antiquated condition. 8. That
until modern rapid transit facilities are
provided, about all that can be done is
to keep the accident rate as low as
possible.
District of Columbia traffic officials
often give the impression that they are
awaiting for some miracle to happen.
such as modern subway system hap
pening overnight or elevated superspeed
highways suddenly springing up. or all
drivers suddenly acquiring the prescence
OF the theoretical perfect driver In the
meantime they neglect the obvious things
which will save at least few lives. For
example, the writer drives down Six
teenth street northwest every Sunday
morning about 7:30 At Decatur street.
where few cars are in sight at that
time, the red and green lights will be
dutifully flashing. This continues down
to Florida avenue. Beginning there and
continuing all the way down to Lafay-
cite sGuare-at U street, where danger
always turks, and again at Scott Circle.
where accidents may happen at any
time day or night-the amber lights will
be flashing. For weeks there was one
exception-the red and green lights were
on at K or M. At Fifteenth and amber
lights. at Fifteenth and Constitution
avenue red and greenland so on-a
hodgepodge Of confusing signals with
out system or reason.
Again, drive down Seventeenth street
northwest at 8:15 am. on any work
uay anu nOUe tne cars parked illegally
on the west side. Never once have I
seen one tagged. With delivery trucks
parked double all the way down traffic
is often reduced to one lane or COM
pletely blocked. Under such conditions
accidents multiply. Traffic lights are
everywhere too low so as to be often
completely concealed by trucks or buses
standing at the curb Timing is poor.
Conflicting signs are erected without
system or reason. The easily enforced
rule against smoking exhausts is COM
pletely ignored. And SO it goes.
Instead OF engaging in more hvs-
terical crackdowns, instead of enacting
more laws, why not concentrate on cor
recting the obvious faults on our traffic
system? Why not enforce fairly and
lmpartially the laws now on the books?
In short, why not do the obvious things
to promote smooth flow of accident
free traffic? After all, it is better to
save 10 lives year than to waste time
delivering TRADES against reckless driv-
ers and bemoaning Washingtons lack of
subways. ARTHUR w. DEW.