Evening star., 1941-02-02
Strict Permit Laws Demanded
As Traffic Deaths Increase
Photograph Requirement and Compulsory
Re-exumnution for Renewals Sought .

cred IS cases in a single year, and
there were probably others that
slipped by them
Practice Cut Down.
The practice has been cut down
greatly in recently ears. but Mr..
Rider, TRAFFIC Director William A.
Van Duzer and his assistant, M. O.
Eldridge are certain it can't be
stamped out completely until they
get some such system as having the
photograph Of a driver on his
permit.
Another headache with which the
department has had to contend is
the duplicate permit. Mr.. Van Du-
zer clamped down on this after
finding that some crooked drivers
were getting as many as seven or
eight duplicates and selling them to
people who couldn't pass the tests.
some of them would erase the
name of the real license holder and
substitute their own" Mr.. Van
Duzer said. Others just left the
permit owners name, figuring they
had a good chance of not being
asked to show their permits as long
as they stayed out of trouble.
The traffic director checked this
practice to some extent by refusing
to issue more than two duplicates
to one person unless the applicant
was known to be of good character.
Want Re-examinations.
Among other things officials
would welcome:
A regulation requiring re-exam-
ination of drivers every three years
before their permits are renewed.
Sitter driving tests, including
examination for reaction, judging
the speed Of oncoming automobiles
and how to stop and start on q
hill
Many drivers now holding per-
mits, the department believes, may
not be qualified because of some
physical disability incurred since
they first obtained their licenses or
because of failure to keep up with
changes in regulations.
AS the system now stands, a per-
son can become half blind and para
lyzed in both legs and still get
renewal of the little blue card that
says he's at liberty to get behind
the wheel of an automobile. All you
have to do is send So in every three
years and you get your renewed per-
nit.
Motorists who got licenses back in
1920, when the permit system was
started, can still get licenses today
by the simple renewal procedure.
Along with these reforms. the de-
partment could use-and would
actually need-at least three more
examiners.
Five Employees in Division.
At present. the permit division
has a total of five employees to issue
about 10000 permits year, con-
duct road tests, eye tests and writ
ten examinations. Mr.. Rider gives
the written examinations. One
clerk examines records and handles
other duties in addition to serving
as a telephone switchboard opera
tor an hour each day.
The other three are examiners
They give the road tests and about
all they can devote to each motor
ist is four or five minutes at the
most. The recommended average for
road tests is II minutes, Mr.. Van
Duzer said. With. three additional
examiners, the department feels
sure it could give those II minutes
to each one, re-examine all other
drivers when their permits come
up for renewal, and do a better job
in general
In these suggested improvements
Inspector Arthur e. Miller, chief OF
the Accident Prevention Union, and
Capt. Milton D. Smith, command
ing officer of the Traffic Division
concur.
Inspector Miller said he felt all
drivers should be tested under &C
tual driving conditions. He said
he realized, however, that this il
impossible with the permit divi.
sion's present personnel.
Capt. Smith, one of the two orig
inal examiners when the permit
system was started, said the writer
test could stand, but the driving
should be made much tougher.