Evening star., 1939-10-05
Safety Enfore ement

The tragic decline motoring
safety which has marke. the first
week Of October in Washington calls
for immediate and drastic action N
the part Of authorities. But it should
be based upon SOUND, calm reasoning.
1t is true that steps have been taken
by the police and traffic bureau.
The former, limited to enforcement
of existing regulations, have started
special campaign against speeding
and reckless driving, the twin evils
which apparently were the direct
causes of most of the recent deaths.
Upon the traffic bureau rests the
responsibility of working out correc-
tive measures. Moving in that direc-
ton, the director of the bureau
suggests that past records of drivers
involved in accidents be examined,
with view to greater exercise Of
permit suspension powers, and that
until police investigations of acci-
dents have been completed, the per-
mits of all drivers involved be
suspended.
The basic traffic act provides all
the authority necessary for a greater
use of permit suspensions and revo-
cations to deal with habitual viola
tors and accident-prone drivers.
This could be accomplished by
studies of records when arrests are
made, when accidents are investi-
gated, or at the suggestion of the
court when the judge is not entirely
satisfied with the attitude Of driver
accused of even minor violation. It
could best be accomplished by more
thorough investigation of ability,
coordination, psychological attitude
and physical condition at the time of
issuing or renewing driving permits.
Such is the practice in other juris-
dictions, some with more elaborate
facilities, but most of them with no
more legal authority or physical
equipment than is available here.
But the proposal to suspend permits
at the moment of accident, forbid
ding the drivers to move their cars
from the scene, is without precedent
and without justification. If limited
only to serious accidents, who is to
decide where the line is to be drawn
between pretty bad" and very
bad"?
1t is conceivable that in any acci-
dent involving two cars, both drivers
may be innocent of any violation of
the law. 1t is probable that one
driver is innocent. What public good
can be accomplished by depriving
the careful driver of his permit to
drive for an indeterminate period?
The answer to Washington's i'm
mediate traffic problem lies in the
proper use of existing authority by
the traffic bureau, and the thor
ough enforcement of existing regula-
tions by the police. There are not
enough officers to arrest all violators,
and when the available force has
eliminated dangerous parking on
one-way through streets in the rush
hours, cutting across lanes of moving
traffic, the fixing of tickets, right of
way violations by drivers and pedes-
trians, double and triple parking,
failing to signal turns and stops,
or unnecessary horn blowing, and
when thorough examinations are
given prospective drivers, rather
than a few questions and a drive
around the block, it still may be
found that dangerous conditions
exist.
If so, then will be the time to
consider establishing new precedents
of severity. Until then, intelligent
use OF dormant authority, and as
thorough safety education as pos
sible must from the basis of the
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