Evening star., 1938-09-18
STR|CTER TRAFFIC
ENFORCEMENT IS
VANDUZER'SPLEA
War on Jay.WaIking Also
Major Part of Program
of Director.
ACCIDENTS ARE FEWER,
ANNUAL REPORT SAYS
Decrease Of 577 in Number of
Persons Hurt in Crashes Is
Shown in Capital.

More rigid enforcement Of trafic
regulations, dealing with the major
faults Of drivers, and efforts to stop
pedestrians from jaywalkins we're
urged by Trafic Director William A.
Van Duzer IN his annual report, sub
mitted yesterday to the con,mis-
sioner5.
He reported there were decreases In
the number Of accidents, injuries and
fatalities In the fiscal year ended June
80, as compared with the previous
year. but added that additional en-
forcement efforts would have to be
made If accidents and deaths were to
be reduced further.
Tho principal offenses Of drivers
which resulted in accidents and fatali-
ties. he said, were: Failure to Weld
right Of way, reckless driving, failure
to obey stop signs and trafic signals,
improper signaling or failure to give
signal. and intoxication.
Mr.. Van Duzer listed as the princi-
pal faults Of pedestrians: Crossing not
at . crosswalk, crossing against signal
and walking or playing in the street
He has several times recommended
adoption Of . pedestrian control regu-
lation under which jaywalkers would
face prosecution and fine.
Accidents Are Fewer.
The number Of accidents In the past
fiscal year, he reported, declined BY
1924 from the previous years total of
some $4,000, the reduction amounting
to 10 per cent. He found this gratify-
ing because 1t was reversal Of the
upward trend prevailing in previous
years and said the downward trend
was particularly apparent in the last
six months, when the reduction in the
number Of accidents amounted to about
18 per cent as compared with the same
period OF the previous year.
His report covered only the last
fiscal year and its close marked the
beginning Of the period in which
the lives Of nine children were snuffed
out in . wave Of trafhc accidents.
The nine were killed in the period
from june to August 4.
M. Van Duzer also found there
vas decrease Of SIT in the number
Of injuries in automobile accidents. or
1217 per cent, and that for tho last
fiscal year the number Of fatalities
dropped below 100 for the first time
In several years. There were 81 killed
IN the last year, q decrease Of 10 IA
talities, or 161a per cent.
He attributed the accident reduc-
tions principally to two factors. zone
is the studies Of accident-prone loca-
tions, which are being made by the
Department Of Vehicles and Traf1c,
and the correction Of the conditions
found" he said. The other is the
placing of direct responsibility for
trafflc conditions in each precinct
upon the commanding oficer. and the
contest which has been carried on to
determine the. safest precinct
Pedestrians Killed.
"As usual. q large number Of the
persons injured or killed were pe-
destrians. The figures were II per
cent Of the fatalities and 81 per cent
Of the injuries. And 81 per cent of
the pedestrians who were killed and
IS per cent Of those who were injured
were at least partially to blame for
the accidents"
The trafdc director reported the
accident spot" map work begun last
year by his department already is
paying dividends. Studies are made
Of each point where records show them
to be accident prone" As . result
OF these studies, he said, remedial
measures already have been adopted
for more than 100 locations and more
will be adopted as funds become
available"
Automobile parking spaces in the
downtown section have declined by
744 during the past two years, in
spite Of an increase In the number
of parking lots, Mr.. Van Duzer said.
Whereas there were 1928 car spaces
at the curb, in garages and on park
ing lots in 1886, he said, there now
are only l5.779.-
The Board of Revelations and Res
torations Of Operators Permits ordered
the revocation or suspension of the
permits Of 2,352 owners in the last
year, Mr.. Van Du1er said. Speeding
led all other causes with 1,2oe, or
slightly more than half.
Under the operation of the financial
responsibility law, the operating per-
mits Of 1,03tedrivers were taken up,
184 OF which were restored after the
driver had filed a certificate of having
obtained liability insurance giving
$l1, 900 coverage.
Conviction Of having driven while
drunk caused the revocation of 730
permits, an increase OF 81 over the
previous year. Judgments against
automobile owners caused the reyoca-
ton Of 2s0 permits and leaving the
scene OF accident where personal In
Jury occurred caused the revocation
Of 81 permits.