Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22
Meter Receipfs
Urged 10 Make
Parking Space

installation of
1000 New Machines
Recommendation that all receipts
Of Washington's parking meters be
used to acquire and develop off,
street parking facilities was made
yesterday by Trafic Director VIII
liam A. Van Duzer in his report for
the past fiscal year ended June 80.
The trafic director noted an ell
couraging decrease in traffic fatali-
ties.
Mr.. Van Duzer recommended that
about 1000 additional parking me-
tiers be installed but he added: at
must not be forgotten that parking
meters along the curbs are tempo
rary, and future traffic demands NAV
force abolition Of all curb parking in
the business district"
AS an indication that Washing
tons efforts to reduce the trafic
toll is paying dividends in lives. de-
spite the high number of accidents,
the traffic director reported that
during the last fiscal year there
were 70 traffic deaths in the District
as compared with 81 for the previous
IL months, or a decrease of 81 per
cent.
However, he said that total acct
dents increased from 1882 in the
1889 fiscal year to l2,075 in the last
fiscal year, or an increase of 1872 per
cent.
So Per Cent Of Cars Rejected.
Results OF the compulsory me.
chanical inspection of automobiles.
he said, showed that more than So
per cent Of 206,261 cars inspected
were rejected on their first appear
ance, for one or more of the SO tests;
that of those rejected, 1851 were not
returned for approval. these pre-
sumably having been removed from
service, or sold or registered in other
States: and that % vehicles were
given condemned" stickers as BEING
unsafe for operation.
The motor vehicle safety inspec-
ton division, the trafic director
said. has been the means of check
ing the validity of drivers permits
and has discovered many operators
using expired permits and hundreds
operating with unsigned permits; it
has materially aided the Metropoli-
tan Police in tracing ownership of
stolen or abandoned vehicles; and
it is aiding the trafic safety pro-
gram by taking all speedometer
readings of vehicles in order that
yearly mileage may be ascertained"
Mr.. Van Duzer labeled the pedes-
TRAN as still the greatest offender"
in the trafflc picture, reporting that
81 or TIA per cent Of the 70 persons
killed in accidents were pedestrians.
The main actions of pedestrians
which cause most fatalities, he said,
may be listed as crossing, not at a
crosswalk; stepping from behind
parked cars; walking or playing in
the street, and crossing against the
signal. These were involved In 40
OF the 81 pedestrian deaths.
Motorist Shares Blame.
THE motorist, however, must
shoulder his share of the blame. and
in Is of the remaining 81 deaths,
must assume entire blame, for In
these Is cases the pedestrian was
crossing at the proper time and place
when struck" said Mr.. Van Duzer.
In a single decade from 1890 to
1940," he continued, the population
of Washington increased from 487.-
600 to 663 900 or 36.2 per cent. This
increase is gratifying. but even more
gratifying is the reduction in traffic
fatalities. This year, despite the
population increase, fewer persons
were killed in traffic accidents than
during any year since 1890. This
TACT in the face of national increases
in traffic deaths testifies to the fruit
fulness of our efforts"
The report revealed that during
the last year no less. than l,l89
driving permits were revoked or
suspended by the Board of Re-
vocation and Restora tons of Op-
orators Permits for various vio-
lations of rules, with speeding
offenses leading all the rest.
The leaders were: First offense
speeding, 266; second offense speed
ing, 204; revocation of privileges of
on-residents, reasons not specified,
1876: general record of driver. 1856:
reckless driving, 1T, and leaving
after colliding, 46 The permits OF
81 drivers were suspended or revoked
for. reason of mental diorder::" IS
for drug addiction and for operat-
ing lottery involving an auto
mobile.
Permits "Blacklisted."
In addition, this board black
listed" the permits of 90 persons for
drug addiction and l56 for other
traffic of1enses. During the last year
the board restored the permits of
955 persons which had been sus-
pended or revoked.
The financial responsibility divi-
sion OF the department, 1t was re.
vealed, ordered the suspension or re.
vocation Of the permits of 484 motor.
lists for driving while under the in.
fuence OF intoxicating liquor. OF
this number 1874 were District resi-
dents. leaving the majority classed
as residents Of Maryland, Virginia
or other States. The total involved.
Mr.. Van Duzer said, was 4s less than
In the previous year.
For leaving the scene Of accident
where personal injury was involved.
The board suspended or revoked the
permits of 10 drivers, all but
from the District, the total being less
han in the previous year. For fail
Ire to satisfy judgments, the board