Smyrna times., 1937-09-30
ROAD TRAFFIC
is IMPROVED
Supt. C. C. Reynolds of Della
ware Highway Police is
Encouraged
POLICE ION THEIR TOES"

Supt. c. G. Reynolds, of the
State police said recently an in
spection of the DUPONT Boulevard
showed a very marked improve
ment" in traffic conditions. Par
ticularly noticeable" he said was
the fact that every motor vehicle
7 saw coming into the main high
way stopped at the intersection be
fore entering. Obedience to the
stop and slow signs was general"
He visited the down-state stations
of the state police, and while he
found motor vehicle traffic on the
roads unusually light, he also found
"all state police on their toes"
There is no question but that they
are keeping an alert eye on traffic
in an effort to prevent and detect
violations of the motor laws" he
said. Figures showing the num-
Der of accidents so far this month
throughout the state are not avail
able as reports are compiled only
monthly. Automobile accident re-
ports are received from downstate
stations but once weekly, except in
the case of fatal accidents. Su-
perintendent Reynolds, however,
expressed the opinion that the ac-
cident toll so far this month has
been less than in the same period
last month. He added, that Sep
tember should normally show de-
crease in accidents as traffic falls
off considerably, especially down.
state, after Labor Day. Figures
of Wilmington police show a de-
crease in the number Of accidents
so far this month as compared
with the same period last month.
THE public is realizing that the
police mean business in their ef-
forts to reduce the accidentt toll.
said the superintendent. And the
public appears to be cooperating
with us, and doing its part. We
appreciate the public's cooperation
in this move. Such cooperation
will mean less arrests. We don't
want to pile up arrests. What we
want is roads made safe for all mo-
tarists and this is impossible with
out cooperation of the public. But
we also want the motoring public
to know that if 1t doesn't behave
itself on the highways we have a
way to compel obedience"
Arrests in the Wilmington area
recently for motor vehicle law vio-
lations numbered but eight. State
and city police officials attribute
tthe decline the last few days in
the number Of arrests. to a strict
er observance Of the law by motor
lists. 1--WE make arrests only where
there are violations" one official
said. 'sThe few arrests at this
stage of the campaign indicates
but one thing; that the public Is
becoming safety-conscious and do
ing its utmost to cooperate with
u.s. Superintendent Reynolds
CIculLc0 Lie PupAiSiSy given W SAAJ
newspapers to the efforts Of the
police, as much as the work of the
police organizations themselves, in
making the highways safer.
State police figures show that rs
of the 1,148 automobile operators
involved in the 719 accidents on
state highways in the eight months
ended August 31st had been intoxi-
Gated. Five of the number were
involved in fatal accidents. Forty
two of the drivers had fallen asleep
at the time of accidents in which
tthey were involved. Two of the
sleeping drivers figured in fatal ac-
cidents. Seven other drivers were
found to have been suffering from
physical defects. One of these was
in a fatal accident. Eight of the