Evening star., 1939-10-17
Safety Congress
Turns 10 Problem
Of Pedestrian
Pompering Is Charged;
Van Duzer Presents
Traffic Statistics
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Oct. II
The National Safety Congress
whose aim is to reduce auto deaths
turned it's attention to the pedes-
trian today and heard that he has
become spoiled and pampereC
child
The manager of Denver's City De-
partment of Safety, Gen. William E
Gunther, gave that description OF
the average pedestrian, and saic
something drastic would have to be
done to make pedestrians pay at
tention to traffic lights and stop jay
walking.
Gen. Guthner said municipalities
should see that ali croSSWalkS are
plainly marked, That a green light
stays on long enough for pedes-
trians to cross and that safety zones
are created for those caught in
the middle of the street. Then, he
said, pedestrians should be made to
obey traffic rules "by punishment, il
necessary"
Van Duzer Speaks.
w. A. Van Duzer, traffic director
for the District of Columbia, said
80 per cent of all persons killed by
automobiles in the larger cities were
pedestrians, and in ST per cent Of
the cases the pedestrian was in the
wrong-either actually violating q
law or making a hazard of himself.
Mr.. Van Duzer said non-pedes-
trian automobile deaths were declin-
ing and pedestrian fatalities were ur
40 per cent in some localities.
Last March 10 the District Of Co.
lumbia put a new ordinance into
effect prescribing the duties of pc.
destrians toward motorists. Pre-.
vious surveys showed only 58 pei
cent of pedestrians obeyed signals
at intersections, he said, but aftel
the newspapers and radio publicizee
advantages of the new law % pei
cent obeyed signals.
New Blood Test Hailed.
The National Safety Council.
Committee on Tests for Intoxica.
ton reported relatively new blooe
test was rapidly becoming a stand.
ard method all over the country.
Under the test, driver is decreec
to be too intoxicated to drive cal
if his blood contains as much a!
15-hundredths of per cent of al
cohol.
The committee reported the test
was knocking the props from under
the tipsy motorist and his alibis"
''Drunks" have three STANDARD
alibis, the committee observed. They
are:
l. "I got a bump on the head ir
the accident and that's why stag
gered."
2. I've been taking insulin fol
diabetes, judge, and that stuff
makes you appear drunk
3. "I just had a coupla shots, YOU
honor, but I can drink six or sever
before I even feel it."
Answer to Alibi.
Juries have been reluctant to fine
men guilty in the face of such de.
fense, the committee said, becaus,
it involves taking the word of ont
man against that of another. Tn,
net result was that police resortee
to charging reckless driving insteae
of intoxication because it was easier
to get convictions, the report read.
But all this" said the committee
"has changed in little more than ,
year, since the accuracy of fluid test
has been established and widely ac'
cepted in the courts. Will
gathering momentum courts and en-
forcement departments are welcom
ing the chemical tests as the long
awaited answer to the drinking
drivers alibi. Public opinion, too
has accepted the intoxication test
There is yet one drawback: M
State has passed law requirini
drivers to submit to such tests.
Higher Speed Limit Urged.
Sergt, C., F. Van BlankenSteyn o