TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1924, Page 8

TRAFFIC CONTROL.

RECKLESSNESS WORSE THAN SPEED. UNITED STATUS INQUIRY. With a preamble declaring that, "the automobile is here to stay and lias boeonic such a vital part of our daily lii'e, both business and social, that to restrict or hamper its use in a radical way. would be to take a serious stop back," the United States Senate's committee's long-expected traffic report has been submitted to the Senate, states the "Radiator." Hearings uu the report have boon under way for nearly three months. Hundreds of witnesses have been heard; experts on traffic have given testimony; business men have recited their opinions on every phase of the traffic problem affecting their business; and police authorities, making recommendations in the fundamental law, have been given a careful hearing. Summed up, the recommendations, as made by the committee, will mean greater freedom allowed the motorist. Probably om of the most revolutionary theories of traffic regulations is overturned in tl.c committee's recommendation that there should be no maximum speed limit fixed. "In the opinion of your committee," says ihe report, "thero should be uo speed limit fixed or attempted to be enforced, but there should be a very rigid enforcement of a 'reckless' driving regulation." Reckless driving is defined a? "driving in such a fashion as to endanger the lives or property of others." A relentless war on such motorist is recommended. Recognition is made in the report, however, "that the automobile is a modern vehicle of transportation," and to throttle it down to G, 8, 10 and 12 miles per hour in all places is contrary to good judgment. Six miles an hour, under certain circumstances, is dangerous, while 25 miles per hour, under .other circumstances, is safe, the report points out. Speaking of the much-discussed subject of the saturation point of. automobiles sales, the report says:—"The, number of automobiles is increasing rapidly each year, and while, efforts are being made to predict when the saturation point will be reached, no one can predict it with any certainty, and it is probably not to come in the very near future." The recommendations made by tho committee are to be incorporated into a model traffic law. A digest of the report follows: —

Anyone but a normal adult should be prohibited from operating a motor-era , . Automobiles weighing a ton, capable of high speed, can logically be viewed as a dangerous weapon when placed in wrong hands. The examination for an operator's license should be most thorough and rigid, both as to physical, mental and moral aspects. It must be admitted, in all fairness, that the motorist is not always to blame when a pedestrian is run down. The pedestrian who crosses a heavy traffic, street except at, the designated places or contrary to signal at intersections, where an officer is on duty, should be liable to arrest —just as much so as the driver who disregards a signal.. Every medium should be employed in educating - school children to safety precautions—radio, newspapers mil the public schools. All policemen should take just as much delight in censuring a pedestrian who take risks as vhe motorist. The greatest and most pressing ne"d is adequate traffic courts. A traffic court should be devoted solely and en tirely to the hearing and trial of cases involving violations of traffic regulations. A special card-index should be kept of every violator, giving complete data, make of automobile, engine number, license number, previous convictions, if any, and so forth. The automobile is a distance vehicle. To hamper the use of tho automobile greatly by unnecessarily low rates of speed would be to work against the greatest usefulness of the motor vehicle. To get into line and tmovo a few at a time or a few blocks at a time and then stop is destroying the usefulness of the automobile and consuming an enormous amount of time, to say nothing of benzine and vehicles wear and tear. We should endeavour fo visualise the needs of the future, having in mind that this is a transition stage through which we are going 'it i!ie present moment. The problem of parking seems to be viinewhat generally misunderstood. Short-time parking is distinctly essential to business and to a large group of people. It is the nee,! for long-) inn , parking or day storage that is Hie real problem and the feature to whivh thus far insufficient ;i(toir : '■ ti has been given.

Strong and bitter remedies are absolutely, necessary and should be administered in the subject of parking. Nothing should be attempted, however, before local conditions are studied and known to be right, and once put into effect it should have all the vigorous backing necessary to make 'it stick. All <>'•'> rage and automobile repair men should be required to report immediately to the police all motor vehicles brought in that show evidence of riccidciit. Oarage owners should i;e subject to a fine of not less than 2"> dollars for failure to report such a vehicle, and the owner of the vehicle when found guilty of failure to report should be fined a similar amount. All titles to automobiles should be registered, and every owner given a certificate of registration. Dealers selling new or used ear? should be required to certify to the correct adjustment of all headlights at the time of sale. Driving with improperly or poorly adjusted brakes should be considered careless or even reckless driving.