Evening star., 1942-11-26
Plans toCut
Traffic Deaths
Under Study
Sofety Education Is
One Of Suggestions
At Special PorIey

Suggestions and statistics devel-
oped yesterday at their special con-
ference with traffic and transporta-
ton leaders on means of reducing
Wash1ngton's heavy traffic death toll
Will be analyZed by the Commission
ers with the hope of producing some
effective new steps.
The consensus was that better
traffic safety education and better
training OF streetcar and bus oper-
ators were needed. A more empha-
sized and extended educational pro-
gram may be one of the results,
along with possibly other new at
tacks on the problem, officials in
dicated.
E. D. Merrill, president of the
Capital Transit Co., left with the
Commissioners six suggestions which
are to be reviewed. One of these
was recommendation for longer
deferment for the experienced
streetcar and bus operators so as to
permit more time for training Of
their replacements. This plan was
regarded as a response to the show
ing of the increased number Of
streetcars and buses involved in
traffic accidents and fatalities.
Urges Use of Crosswalks.
Other suggestions were consider
alton of the problem of intoxication
(Mr. Merrill protested against the
psychological effect of movies with
scenes depicting drinking in large
quantities.; elimination of double
parking and parking on narrow
streets; education of pedestrians, to
cross streets only at crosswalks and
to look both ways; better educa-
ton of drivers as to traffic prob
lens and rules; and wide use by
civic groups of educational movies
the company is having made to il
lustrate best use of streetcars and
buses and the need for standees to
move back in the aisle.
One of the puzzling high lights Of
the traffic picture is that while acci-
dents and injuries have declined
during the first 10 months of this
year, traffic fatalities have increased.
One hundred persons have been
killed in traffic accidents here this
year, as compared with "a to Decem-
ber l of last year. Of this years
total, 10 were killed in accidents
involving buses, % involving street.
cars, 81 by automobiles and other
vehicles and in collisions with
fixed objects.
Few Veterans.
The discussion brought out that
66 per cent of the streetcar motor
men were men with less than two
years Of service. This, plus war
jitters," were regarded by some con-
ferees as among causes or contrib
uting factors to mass transportation
accidents. Mr.. Merrill also spoke of
rapid changes in traffic rules and
transportation routings and the in
creased population, with many new
comers to the District, as contribute
ing factors, adding to confusion.
Officials of the Public Utilities
Commission promised to restudy
streetcar loading platform locations
after Coroner A. Magruder Mac
Donald protested that location of
platforms in the middle of blocks
encouraged jaywalking."
The conference agreed it would
be a good idea' if all police would
be authorized to board buses and
streetcars and urged standees to
move to the rear of the aisles when
they note that too many are crowded
about the operator, interfering with
his vision of traffic.
Commissioner Mason said police
would have no legal powers in such
cases but that they might help a
lot" by persuading standees to move
back" The city heads, however, did
not act at once to issue such instruc-
tions to police.
Kelly at Conference.
Among those attending the con-
ference, in addition to the Comis-
sloners, Mr.. Merrill and Coroner
Macdonald, were Maj. Edward ].
Kelly, police superintendent; In
! spectors Harvey G.. Callahan and
Arthur E. Miller, Whitney Leary.
chairman of the Commissioners
Traffic Advisory Council; j. G.. Bige-
low, president and business agent
OF the local of the Amalgamated
Association of Street. Electric Rail-
way and Motor Coach Employees of
America; r. r. Duell, streetcar
motorman; Traffic Director William
A. Van DuZer: Howard Wentworth
public relations officer of the Van
Duzer office; James H. Flanagan,
chairman, and Gregory Hankin of
the Public Utilities Commission; and
Fred A. Sager, chief engineer, and
Elmo j. Milligan, secretary, of the