Evening star., 1938-02-17
Here's How Your Car Will Be Inspected
District Auto Tests to Be Patterned After That New Jersey
When Bill Becomes Law
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.
THE Trafic Department is ready
to speed the setting up Of
facilities for inspection of auto

ITHE Trafdc Department is ready
to speed the setting up Of
| facilities for inspection of auto
a mobiles In the District as soon
as President Roosevelt signs the bill
recently passed by Congress, requiring
annual mechanical examinations OF
automobiles here The system to be
used will be patterned after the New
Jersey regulations.
This early preparation is the result
| Of Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzers recent visit to Newark, N. j.,
in company with the automobile editor.
of The Star, to get f1rst-hand informa-
ton Of Newark's Inspection Bureau,
largest of so in the State.
Although the New Jersey inspection
law has only been in effec. since jan
uary 10, Mr.. Van Duzer believes 1t to
be the best and intends to put the
system in operation here. He brought
back with him copies of the New Jersey
| inspection card. The local law calls
for an annual inspection, while New
Jersey requires semi-annual examina-
tions, but that is the only principal
difference.
improvements Planned.
One improvement is planned by the
! traffic director here. In New Jersey
cards are mailed out by the commits
sioner of motor vehicles, A. w. Magee,
to each motorist advising him when
to appear for the examination, and
the State collects the 50-cent fee at
the time CT the inspection. Mr.. Van
Duzer will have the time OF desired
examination printed on the back OF
the yearly registration card. Instead
Of collecting the money upon inspec-
ton the sum of so cents will be added
to the personal property tax bill when
new tags are applied for. This. he
believes, will save a lot Of expense and
unnecessary bookkeeping.
Three inspection stations will be
established here, according to present
plans. One will be located somewhere
north on Wisconsin avenue, one on
Bladensburg road. and the third in
the downtown business area. Ex-
animation schedules will be staggered
so that the least possible congestion
will result.
The inspection places, which, OF
course. will be located under roof, will
be manned by policemen. The motorist
will enter one Of the lanes and put
his car through the necessary move
ments. Any defect in his machine Is
noted on the card. The driver then
must have the defects remedied and
appear within one week for a re-ex-
animation, for which there will be no
additional cost. If satisfactory. a
policeman appends small decalco-
mania to the windshield of the car
showing the machine has passed. This
will be done at the first inspection II
the car is in proper order.
Four Lanes Used.
The building in Newark is about
100 feet by 100 and has four lanes.
Seven men are assigned to each lane
and the average time required for an
inspection is about three and a half
minutes. More than 400 cars are
examined daily, as the inspectors are
on duty from 9 o'clock until S. The
inspector in charge in Newark, T.
William Cleveland is a strong sup
porter of the inspections and claims
that a safer city will result. Newark
1 had population of $4,000 in the
last census Last year, before the in
spection requirement, l27 persons were
killed in traffic. According to Mr..
Cleveland, about 50 per cent of the
cars are rejected upon their first visit.
although the majority is for minor
defects.
Mr.. Van Duzer is enthused with the
| inspection law here and to him largely
| goes the credit of getting the bill
through Congress. He believes it
worth while even If only two lives are
saved here yearly. A large per cent
| of machines involved in accidents have