The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-12-10
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should be Immediately made avail
able 10 both the Pierce county
sherifrs office and Tacoma police
department"
IN. jury. which listened for
three and a half hours on Deem
Der to testimony BY both eve
witnesses of the accident and city,
county and state officials. sub
mitted its findings in a letter 10
DR.. Long and Prosecutor Tollefson
supplemented BY a two-psEe re
port Of observations and sug-
gestions on Tacoma traffic prob
lens.
The jury. all members Of the
newly-appointed Traffic Safety
commission. consisted Of Irving
". Thomas. Hy Msndles. Robert
II. Hager. J. J. Mcdonald, Or. G.
o. Walters and William A. STAN
Ger. All signed the report.
Jury's Report
The complete letter:
we. the members Of the Cor
oner's Jury. find that the immedi-
ate cause Of the accident at 18th
and Pacific ave. on Sunday. No
vember %. 1871. in which four
police officers were killed. was
due to speed too fast for the OBJ
structed sight distance at this in
tersection.
Testimony Offered would indi-
cate that the high accident expert
ence in our city may be charged
to lack Of effective enforcement
due to a shortage of necessary
men and equipment.
From this testimony we would
recommend that additional mer
and equipment should be immedi'
ately made available to both ths
sheriffs office and the Ncoms
police department. We recommend
that these men be distributed Il
those areas where high accident
experience has shown that specia
enforcement is necessary.
Direct Telephones
Direct telephone lines should
connect all enforcement sgenc,
offices.
Traffic control devices ant
markings should conform to stan
dards adopted by the American
Association OF State Highway Of
ficials.
Safe driving practices should
be followed by the drivers Of al
emergency vehicles. These driver
of emergency vehicles shoult
never overdrive their sight dis
lance. Special attention should b
given by such drivers to Section
Traffic Code of the City Of Taco
ma-Ordinance No. 117o1.
"An traffic regulations shoul'
be strictly enforced.
Close contacts should be- main
tanned between all agencies inter
eeted in traffic safety"
II Points Listed
Twenty-one suggestions and oh
servations are listed in the two
page supplementary report which
the jury included with the lette
stating its findings. The report:
1T is the opinion of we VIII
have served as coroner's jurors Il
the inquest into the accident tina
cost the lives of four police Off
GERS on Sunday, Nov. 20, in Ia
coma, should make some observa
tons and suggestions regarding
traffic problems in Tacoma a
follows:
That at least 20 per cent of tn
police department personnel of 10
or 20 men be Immediately assigne'
to full time traffic duty.
That as the same condition
are present in all accidents, onl.
the degree OF severity differen
tiates between 4 minor and majo
accident. all traffic accident re
ports should be analysed that tn
time, place and reported caus
may be determined.
That a selective system Of or
forcement shall be placed int
operation Immediately.
That all operations Of tn
police department that take me
away from law enforcement dutie
be eliminated.
Schooling Needed
That schooling and instruction
on scientific traffic accident In
vestigs ton be insugurated.
That traffic and pedesria
volumes and patterns bs dete'
mined and provisions made fc
keeping this data current
That physical tests. dr1vln
clinics and examinations be hel
from time 10 time TO determir
the fitness and qualifications Of a
Officers driving official vehicles.
That critical speeds at dowr
town intersections be determine
for the guidance Of all drivers {
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