Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21
ACCIDENTS DROP
AS SAFETY PLAN
IS MADE READY
Pedestrian Control Ideas
Laid Aside-Van Duzer
Gets Six Proposals.
ICKES PLEDGES AID
OF U. S. PARK POLICE
Guide to Safety Is Issued for
Users Of National Parks
Highways System.

Trafic toll figures continued to
show an improvement yesterday as the
District Commissioners moved to put
into effect the program suggested BY
the Traf'ic Safety Committee appoint
Cd by Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen
after child deaths in the streets had
reached an appalling" total.
The Commissioners laid aside the
recommendation for pedestrian con-
troll, and referred six of the COM
mittee's proposals to Trafic Director
William Van Duzer and Police supt.
Ernest w. Brown for suggestions as
to how they might best be put into
effect.
The proposals included:
Establishment of additional plav
areas through the solicitation of own
ers OF vacant lots and the ropins of
OF little-used streets in crowded resi-
Dental areas.
2. The use Of sound trucks in areas
where many children are at play.
). The enforcement of regulations
against motorists who usurp the rights
Of pedestrians.
CLOSER attention to the duties and
responsibilities Of pedestrians in cross
ing the streets.
oConthuation Of tho Police De-
partment's policy Of escorting home
children who play in the streets, with
warnings to the parents.
6-Acceleration Of a study Of the
possibility of establishing more one
way streets, or additional streets where
parking is allowed on one side only,
particularly in residential areas.
Ickes Pledges Aid.
Meanwhile. Secretary of the Interior
1ckes pledged his cooperation in the
safety drive in a message from Alaska.
The Secretary pledged the full sup
port Of the United States park police
and other agencies under his control
in Washington.
The message was timed with the
issuance Of an official Guide to
Safety on the 81 miles OF highways
in the National Capital parks system
The guide was in course Of prep
aration when Mr.. Ickes left on his
Alaskan trip and Is the result Of
trafic study in the parks. Combined
with the study is T. set of cardinal
points in safe driving in which is
stressed: Always look out for chill
drep at play in residential sections"
With an average of about 100 900
automobile passing over park roadways
each day. this volume of approximately
IS 100000 vehicles a year presents
problem of safe driving definitely
linked with the trafic situation in the
city as whole. For this reason, Of
ficials said, the Interior Department
issued the circular outlining the I'M
DERIVING principles for the safe cp-
Grafton Of motor vehicles.
Rules Listed.
To the slogan Drive to the Right"
it adds as further precaution to do
this by day or night" for the best
possible means Of preventing accidents.
These are the other rules for safe
driving which Mr.. 1ckes stresses:
Do not take chances.
Do not drive after drinking.
Do not increase speed when another
car is passing.
Do not refuse to give way to q pass
ing car.
Do not fail to dim lights for an
approaching car.
Do not attempt to beat the yellow
light.
Careful and intelligent driving is
the key to the solution of our highway
traffic problem today" Mr.. Ickes points
out in the foreword. The rules of
the road are simple and few. They
require only the exercise of common
sense and consideration of the rights
Of others to produce effective results"
Emphasizing that a cautious start
prevents a disastrous fnish," the
safety guide advises q careful check
on the condition of the car, before a
trip is begun.
BE sure that your rear-view mirror
is properly adjusted; your windshield
and windows are clean: your brakes
are in good working order and your
lights and steering apparatus In good
condition" are some of the warnings.
Don't be a road hog" is the ad-
nonition given to the motorist who
fails to stay in the proper trafiic lane.
Illustrations provide the proper in
struction in the use of hand signals. as
required under District trafic resula-
tions. Others depict the things that
(see SAFETY, Page B-2)