Evening star., 1946-09-27
Driving Tests
frightened for
Teen-Agers
Keneipp Explains
Recent Rulings to
Safety Society

Traffic Director George E. Ke-
neipp revealed last night that regu-
lations governing driving by teen
ayers have been tightened because
several of them have been involved
in recent serious accidents.
Mr.. Keneipp told members of the
Washington Safety Society. meeting
in the Potomac Electric Co. audi
torium. that in recent drivers test
for young people, 16 out of 81 failed
to pass.
He then related,a series of auto
mobile mishaps in which youths
have recently figured, including the
August 2 crash on Arlington Me-
mortal Bridge between bus and an
automobile driven by an 18-year-old
BOY.
"Mania for Speeding"
He said the young people seemed
ito have developed "a mania for
speeding" in the last month and told
how, on the West Coast, some of
them have formed a "speeder'
club in which youths can qualify
for membership only by driving a.
speeding car through traffic without
getting hurt or damaging the We
hicle.
In order to teach young people the
regulations and develop the right
attitude toward driving-"not a
right but a privilege loaned to
them'-the District Bureau of We
hicles and Traffic has assigned two
cars for training classes which al
ready have started in two vocational
high schools here Mr.. Keneipp
promised the program, which was
beginning in modest way. would
be rapidly expanded.
Discussing the continued drive to
assure driver Incompetence, Mr.. Ke-
neipp reiterated his contention that
% States have inadequate drivers
road tests or none at all, and that
40 per cent of all the cars on Dis
trict streets were driven by persons
from other States.
Elimination of Inept.
AS for eliminating inefficient Dis
trict drivers, he pointed out that
questions giving clues to the ply
sical condition of license -aspirants,
which were prepared by physicians
for use on permit applications, were
now in the hands of the Corpora
ton Counsel and would soon be
ready for use.
Mr. Keneipp said lust as soon as
We can do it." his department would
give certain drivers, mostly ha-
bitual offenders, psyche physical
examinations and also reaction and
"driving-a attitude" tests. He also
promised an eventual overhauling
of driving regulations with a view
toward intercity uniformity, SIM
plicity and Standardization of hand
signals, and continued diligence
of police enforcement" of such regu-
lations.
He warned the current safety |
drive was not over and we intend |
to take away the licenses of those |
caught driving at over 40 miles an
hour
Survey in Montgomery.
Washington I. Cleveland, man.
ager of the District division of the |
American Automobile Safety Asso-
citation, declared a safety board set
up in Montgomery County about a
year ago, has made a survey of traf- |
fic hazards in that part of nearby
Maryland. The survey pointed out
the need for more modern methods |
in police reporting of accidents and
some innovations have already been !
effected in this respect, he said.
Tree branches, weeds and shrub
berry which barred visibility at busy
.nterestions have been removed, and
drainage near highways has been |
corrected to eliminate dangerous
road conditions in wet weather, he
said.
In addition, Mr.. Cleveland said
the board has recommended that
police officer be assigned on full
time basis to teach traffic safety
to residents of Montgomery County.
The meeting was conducted by
Edward B. Landry, president of the
society and chief safety engineer
of the Navy Department.