Evening star., 1955-01-19
Uniform Assessment
OF 3 Poinis for All
Speed Cases Asked
By chorIes 6. Brooks

:
The Commissioners special
committee on the trafiic point
system yesterday voted to request
q drastic revision Of the trafiic
point regulations at its fifst
meeting since the system went
into effect two years ago.
At the request Of Traffic d.
rector George e. Keneipp, the
group yesterday voted to ask
the Commissioners to levy a nat
rate of three points for all speed
ing violations.
The proposal would affect
speeders who forfeit collateral or
are found guilty in court re-
gardless Of whether thy are ac-
cused Of speeding 10 miles or
so miles over the legal limit.
However, to meet the objection
that 1t is unfair to penalize So
mile-an-hour speeders the same
amount as 80 or IS mile an hour
speeders, Mr.. Keneipp pro-
posed that he be empowered to
suspend or revoke the license
Of persons found to be driving
in disregard Of life and property
more easily.
Wording Of Provision.
Specifically, the proposal voted
BY q majority Of the committee.
reads:
.All speeding violations would
be assessed at three points.
coupled with the authorization Of
the director to, after q hearing,
suspend or revoke the permit Of
anyone who has driven in fla
grant disregard Of life and prop-
erty.'
The vote was S to 2 in favor.
One Of those voting against 1t
was Deputy Chief John Agnew.
head OF the police Traffic Divi-
SION. 80
Under the present point Syss
tenn. graduated schedule IS used.
Persons who forfeit collateral for
speeding violations are given
three points for speeding 10 to
20 miles an hour over the legal
limit. four points for speeding
more than 20 miles over the legal
limit and eight points for speed
ing more than 40 miles over the
legal limit.
An eight-point total means an
automatic suspension of the
drivers permit for from Q to is
days. Twelve points means revo-
cation. h
The group also agreed to re-
quest that IL points-tfe num-
Der necessary for revocation-be
assessed for any felony in which
Q vehicle Is involved and the
same for any n-justiflable
homicide In which q vehicle is
involved. In accordance with re-
cent congressional legislation.
Points on Agenda.
The group recessed and planned
. second meeting for 2:30 pm.
Tuesday with the following
agenda:
/. Mr.. Keneipp's proposal that
all violations resulting in an ac-
cident should be assessed four
points, rather than from four
TO seven points, as is now the
case. !.
2. Violations causing fatalities
should bring down II points on
D driver.
3. Persons who have evaded
the service Of warrants in NOV
ing violations should not receive
applications for District tags
through the mails.
Mr.. Keneipp said he has de-
cided not to request the Mu-
nicipal Court judges to establish
. policy making determinations
Of speed in court cases necessary
by judges.
On Monday the Municipal
Court Of Appeals ruled that the
Trafiic Division may assess
points only on the basis Of the
court charge, not on the orig.
inal arrest charge. Thus. the
court held. q woman arrested
for doing 40 miles an hour in
a 25-mile zone could not be pen
allied three points because she
was charged In court merely
with exceeding rs miles an hour.
Therefore. she could be- assessed
only one point,
Mr.. Keneipp, after listening
TO Corporation Counsel Vernon
West, agreed 1t would place q
great burden on the court to
have judges determine the exact
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