Evening star., 1942-07-30
Traffic Council
Backs Strict
Jaywa|king Ban
Supports Van Duzer
Recommendation for
Tighter Regulation

An amendment to the District
trafic regulations which would pro-
hibit pedestrians from crossing
streets anywhere except at cross
walks was proposed last night by
the Trafiic Advisory Council on the
recommendation Of Trafdc Director
w. A. Van Duzer.
The Commissioners will be asked
to change the regulation which now
permits pedestrians to use their own
judgment about crossing streets in
the middle Of a block.
The new regulation, which the
council asked the Commissioners to
adopt, would provide:
mo pedestrian shall cross any
roadway between intersections ex-
cept at regular crosswalks or those
specially designated and marked"
Now Based on Hazard.
The present regulation allows Pc
destrians to use" roadway be-
tween intersections except when a
vehicle Is approaching from either
direction so as to constitute hazard
for his own safety or use such road
way at any time In negligent or
reckless manner"
Penalties, under the proposed
regulation, would remain the same
as the present. The statutory fine
runs as high as $500, but the normal
cost to violators is - or 50.
Mr.. Van Duzer pointed out that
In So per cent of all pedestrian IA
talities this year the victims were
crossing streets between intersec-
tions.
Opposition to the proposed change
In pedestrian regulations was ex-
pressed by Inspector Arthur E. Miller
of the Police Departments trafhc
division on the ground that 1t could
not be enforced.
Disregard Forecast.
Arthur Clephane, an attorney
member of the council, asserted that
patrolmen were not paying any at
tention to present pedestrian regu-
lations and that the adoption of
more stringent rules would invite
disregard for the law unless they
were stringently enforced by police.
The council was called into spe-
cial session last night particularly
to approve ALLEGATION OF a $4,000
safety education fund for the fiscal
year exclusively for campaign di-
rected toward pedestrians. Items
approved by the council included
series Of weekly radio programs over
local stations, printing of posters
and placards, production Of motion
picture "trailers," stenciled sidewalk
warnings and special playground
exhibits.
Radio time and talent, motion
picture preparation, space for the
posters In streetcars and buses are
being donated for the campaign.
The $4,000, it was reported, will be
used largely for printing costs, post
age and other similar necessary ex-
penses.
Trafic Decline Cited.
The council also approved budget
request for the 1854 fiscal year
Of $4,000 to be used for public safe
ty education.
| NAAs 0AA 0uACA AIlUl AlCO tklC CO1IlS
mission that the volume Of vehicu-
lar traflic In the District last month
showed . IS per cent drop from
that of June. 1941, as q result Of
gasoline and tire rationing. The drop
for May from the same month last
year, he said, was only 10 per cent,
] and he predicted 20 per cent de-
1 crease in automobile traflic for July
from July, 1941.
At the same time, Mr.. Van Duzef
pointed out, the decrease in traf11c
is not coinciding with the drop in
gasoline consumption, which was
about n per cent for May and June
from corresponding months last
year and which Is expected to be
80 per cent In July from July year
ago.