Evening star., 1951-09-27
Traffic cVioIators
To Face Court
In Montgomery
New Sofety Plan
Burs Forfeitures by
Serious Offenders

llo hunger nave any CHOICE ABOUT
telling it to the judge"
Starting today, the county's
trial magistrates will require per-
sons who make f1agrant moving
violations to appear before them
in person instead of merely post
ing collateral and fading away.
The new system. part of an ALL
out, year. round campaign of en-
forcement and education" to cut
highway accidents, was evolved
yesterday at the county's first
Traffic Court Conference in Rock
vile. It's effect is to preclude the
forfeiture of collateral by serious
offenders. who might put up $100
for. say, drunken driving, and
drive off otherwise unpunished to
get drunk another day.
The magistrates were not given
standards to follow in determining
the seriousness of traffic offenses,
but they indicated that driving
while drunk, reckless driving, hit
and-run and driving on a revoked
permit Eight be viewed as fitting
the serious description.
Uniform Pattern Sought.
Magistrates Walter H. Moor
man. j. Fendall Coughlan, Oscar
j. See and John M. Miller were to
confer to reach a uniform pattern
in flagrant violations.
They also were asked to meet as
soon as possible to adopt a uni
form collateral list for traffic vio-
lations at the Traffic Court con-
ference. called by the County
Council to promote traffic safety
and improve administration Of
traffic justice.
MIR. Coughlan, saidsthe uniform
rate will prevent defendants from
shopping around for the mag
istrate who would give them the
lowest collateral. A police Official
estimated 80 to 95 per cent of traf-
f1c cases never get to court because
defendants forfeit collateral.
Traffic Courts Proposed.
The conference, which heard
recommendations from law en-
forcement and court officials from
Montgomery County and national
traffic and legal organizations,
also adopted these resolutions:
BY November l the trial magis-
trates were asked to hold separate
traffic sessions, as may be required.
Iculling traffic cases from the
criminal and civil dockets. The
resolution also called for legisla-
ton to be prepared to set up en-
tirely separate traffic courts
throughout the county at later
date.
, The County Safety Board was
, given the Responsibility for CO.
, ordinating the efforts of all Off
cials, including the division of
: police protection, trial magis-
trates. circuit court judges and
all other officials and agencies in
an all-out. year-round campaign
or enforcement and education to
guarantee public support, observ-
} ance and acceptance of traffic
laws"
j. Other resolutions called for a.
survey OF present magistrates S
courtroomS, with a view to i'm
proving facilities" and held over
the committee which arranged
the conference as a permanent
body to follow up these resolu-
tions ano plan another conference
next year.
4 Speed Pictured as Killer.
Officials at the meeting were
told speed is the killer of the
highways" and Associate Circuit
Court Judge Stedman Prescott de-
clared that if drivers can't mod
crate themselves automobiles
should be equipped with gover-
nors to hold their top speed to go
miles an hour.
Earlier, Circuit Court Judge
Charles w. Woodward asserted
that people will do anything if
they think they can get away with
1t. even if it kills them. People
: don't have much respect for the
law"
The punlic is already educated
about traffic" Judge Woodward
said. They know automobiles
Kill people" He asserted a crack
! down by traffic officials and the
courts could cut accidents so per
! cent in 80 days.
Judge Prescott also criticized
the failure of State traffic laws to
$ provide for revocation of drivers
{ permits. Maryland permits can
be revoked only by the commits
sioner of motor vehicles after a
hearing in Baltimore, he said.
Three Glasses of Violations.
: The "can'ts the don'ts and the
won'ts-the three classes of traf-
; f1c violators," were described by
James P. Eeonomus, secretary of
1the Traffic Court Committee of
the American Bar Association.
There were 5,881 arrests for
moving violations in the county
in 1949, according to Police In
Ispector James S. McAuliffe. This
Jumped to 1920 in 1850, and for
the first eight months of this year
already is 1901, he said-a 20 per
cent increase for the year.
AS for the driver who breaks
the law. public support must put
him in the same class as the man
who eats with his knife or runs
away with his neighbor's wife"
said State Trooper nc John Col
lister.
At a luncheon meeting, Inspec-
tor Arthur E. Miller, formerly of
the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment and now with the American
Automobile Association, predicted
ehemical-testing machines, now
being adopted by police, will bring
more convictions for driving while
drunk.