Evening star., 1939-02-07
By DON S. WARREN.

BY DON S. WARREN.
Pedestrian control regulations
were ordered today by the District
Commissioners, providing for addl-
tional protection as we'll as control
of pedestrian movements. The new
rules will become effective after 10
days of legal publication.
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen
announced police enforcement would
be withheld for Is days, in all, to
permit time for the public to be-
come familiar with the changes.
The Commissioners issued special
instructions TO Police Supt. Ernest
w. Brown that police shall obtain
rigid enforcement of rules requiring
motorists to yield right -of-Way to
pedestrians at both controlled and
uncontrolled intersections whenever
pedestrians have the right -of-Way.
Strict Enforcement Planned.
The Commissioners issued a plea
that both motorists and pedestrians
give 100 per cent cooperation IN the
operation of the new rules, but de-
clared police would be instructed TO
apply the law strictly to all vlolators
after the educational period ends,
early in March. Violators may face
the imposition of fines ranging from
ST to $500.
In brief, the new regulations re-
ouire that pedestrians must obey
traffic signals and traffic police
men at controlled intersections;
that drivers must yield the rlght-o1-
way to pedestrians crossing, or those
who have started to cross a road
way on proper signal; that pee.strl-
ans must use due caution when
crossing streets other than at
cross-walk or at intersections not
controlled by lights or officers.
The Commissioners adopted, with
but minor changes. the recommen-
dations recently submitted by their
Traffic Advisory Council, and laid
aside a much more straingent rule,
proposed by Traffic Director Will
lam A. Van Duzer, which would
have provided that pedestrians
could not cross any street anywhere
other than at cross-walks at the
end OF a block.
Advised Of Legality.
The decision was reached at the
Commissioners semi-weekly board
meeting today during which they
consulted with Corporation Counsel
Elwood H. Seal, who advised them
that the new regulations, as revised.
were legally sound.
Adoption of the new rules came
after weeks of study and years OF
discussion which eliminated Dec
ember % In an extended public
hearing on the entire subject. At
that hearing there was chorus
of demands for additional protection
for pedestrians, particularly against
the hazards to them from vehicles
making right and left hand turns.
witnesses at this hearing were
divided as to what form any pro-
posed new regulations should take.
Regulation Provisions.
The new regulations are as fol-
lows:
mo pedestrian, equestrian or
driver of any vehicle shall disobey
the instructions of any applicable
official traffic sign or signal unless
directed to do so by police officer.
Police officers shall have full power
to regulate pedestrian, equestrian
and vehicular traffic.
"At intersections where traffic is
controlled by trafflc-control signals
or by police officers, drivers of We
hicles shall yield the right of way
to pedestrians crossing or those who
have started to cross the roadway
on a green or go signal.
mo pedestrian shall use any road
way between intersections when
vehicle is approaching from either
direction so as to constitute haz-
ard for his own safety or use such
roadway at any time in negligent
or reckless manner.
This section shall not operate to
deprive pedestrians OF rights as
provided in article 3, section 5-A
of the Traffic Regulations).
Driver Must Yield.
Article 3, section 5-A of the
Traffic Regulations reads: "The
driver of any vehicle shall yield the
right of way to a pedestrian cross
: Ing the roadway within any marked
crosswalk or within any unmarked
cross-walk at the end OF a block,
except at intersections where the
movement of traffic is being regu-
lated by police officers or traffic
control signals or at any point where
a pedestrian tunnel has been pro-
vided."
The Commissioners adopted as a
policy the recommendations of the
Traffic Advisory Council that the
section giving added protection to
pedestrians against vehicular move
ment be "rigidly enforced"
To this recommendation the coun-
Gil had added recommendations that
wherever practicable pedestrian
lights be installed, that the visibility
of traffic control lights be improved
by readjusting the visors now on
them and by relocating the traffic
lights at such places as they are not
easily visible to pedestrians facing
the crossing"
Corporation Counsel Seal said
that when police enforcement of the
pedestrian rules begin that tickets
would not be issued to the jaywalker
but that those committing offenses
which should be prosecuted would
be taken directly to the closest pre-