Document pBqDKmzrxK5eRE58Jgeyy5E3w

30th ^ NATIONAL SAFETY CONGRESS -* STREET AND HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, TRANSIT, CHILD EDUCATE, HOME AND FARM SAFETY SESSIONS CHICAGO OCTOBER 6-10,1941 *' NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL, INC 20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago b Goprafru wi9 Nadoaal Safety Council, Inc. Printed in the U. S* A f Ii t Li 1. ji f: iJ ;! H VOL. H Contents Make Profitable Use of These Transactions.^,. Council Pnrposee and Program.....T. Street and Highway Traffic Section^...rrr:*% Commercial Vehicle Section... ./T... 3................ Transit Section........................... .1/.../........... . Child Education Section............ ^7........................ Home Safety...................................... .................... Farm Safety................... .................. .................... Safety Exposition Exhibitors... ......................... Hides ............ ................ ;......... ......................... .3 .5 .7 105 .143 .161 199 .213 225 .227 THE Transactions of the 30th National Safety Congress and Exposition of die National Safety Council are published in two volumes. Volume I contains the GeneralSubject and Industrial Section Sessions. Volume II contains the Public Safety, Child Education, Home and Farm Safety Sessions. * __^ Volnme I has been dtoributed automatically to industrial membenTtof the Council. VolameTjfe distributed to members particriMly interested in the sriwionSjtLcotitains; however, these members can obtain a copy of Volume I, Wlre^ofet, if especially interested in industrial safety problems. Extra copies of die Transactions may be obtained at die following rates: Volnme I, one to ten copies tat $2.00 each; It or more copies at $1.75 mi4i Volnme TTt addidooal copies may he ^ at 75 cents each. The Tranactions are a condensed record of the proceedings of the Con gress, published for reference purposes. The addresses and ffiscuaaiona " have beerfedmtd to delete extraneous mitferigl'and emphasise those parts of particular usefulness in safety organization and all other accident preventkm procedures. On page 3 some hefefol ideas are given on how to use die Transactions with profit The National Safety Council, at Its Congresses, seeks to eliminate from discussion mattes which are not pertinent to die aims of tits Congress, or which axe contrary to die Council's policies. However, it cannot accept responsibility for all die views expressed, either in the papers presented or in the discussions based upon these papers; f NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL, Inc. 20No.rt.hW.acker Drive Chicago, Illinois *_ S n od it a at ai 8 5 M 4 n - a i a a' o a .3 .5 .7 .105 .143 .161 .199 .213 .22$ .227 jtioft hope tome foty caNof sited cf iW Stas: H.75 Con* dona puts (desk W {ram {VOwR"PL. mot 9m / . Make Profitable Use of These Transactions The Transactions of -the 30th National Safety Congress are published in twio vol umes for day-to-day use in the prevention of accidents. Volume I deals principally with industrial accident problems; Volume II is- , ( W, ay* to Use the Trimaactiqua,.. ' , Now, there are many ways in which these Transactions may be used with profit to* stop accident fosses. The book is*a storehouse of concerned chiefly with public safety, street and highway traffic, -child safety education, and home and farm safety problems. practical safety information. Here are just a few suggestions how you, as a. safety in quirer, can use this material: The papers and discussions in this volume contain the experience' of safety men, busir ness executives, public officials and others who have organized and conducted success-; ful programs to reduce accident losses. Solutions to Your Accident Problems.--- Every community, business organization, pub lic official or other individual Ins accident problems. While each has Ins own individaal problems, fundamentally they are not new; . other communities, business organizations . There are simple ways of finding what yon and groups have had them, and many of these may want ot refer to in tins volume. The ' accident problems have been solved success reference material has been organized, ar fully; Very probably you, as a safety for ranged and indexed so that any given sub? qnirer, can fold in. this volume solutions to A ject, speaker or session of the Congress caq the problems that are troubling you. be located easily. Is it. a problem of the proper police con Plan of Arrangement trol of traffic? Or a problem of the Court's proper authority and power? Or a problem Note, first, that on.page 2 there is a table oft community organization and sorting to of contents, fisting the various divisions or save lives and prevent injuriesK The many groups of sessions. In each of these groups sessions of the Street and Highway Section the sessions are arranged in order by day of cover practically every {base of-traffic acci the week and calendar date. dent control and reduction. Nobody, however, has to look through an entire session of the Congress, or even read through an entire paper or discussion to find the given safety prqblem or information in which he is particularly interested. hi the back of this book there is a com prehensive, but simple, index. .This also is arranged alphabetically, and there are three ways in which most of the material is in dexed: (a) By General Subject or Minor Subject discussed^ (b) By Name of Author who gave the formal Riper or the Discussion. (c) By the particular Divirion or Group, as Child Safety, Home Safety, Farm Safety, etc. Is it a problem of student safety training, or of the teacher's safety responsibility, or of protecting ..the. school child as he goes to or from school upon foot or tty bus? These problems are discussed in the many sessions of the Child Education Section. Similar prob lems are clearly outlined in the Home and Farm Safety Sessions. . New Safety Ideas and Plans.--Accident prevention methods still are not perfect New developments in safety ideas,-jderices, safe guards, "stunts* and safety plans are befog made all the time, and the delegates have told about many of them in tiiis Congress. Both the formal papers and the general dis cussions are filled with new ideas. Safety Contests and Awards.--Safety con tests are an established part of good acd- 3 " '' . -jm 30th National Safety Congress dent prevention procedure--both in die indus leaders. They are helping strongly to pro li. trial plant, in die commercial fleet, the busi mote the National Safety Movement As offi ness organization and the community. Safety cers or members of the. National Safety contests are dismissed in some of these ses Council, or as .public officials--if you know sions, and the long lists of Awards made by diem, jot even know about them--they ca^ die National Safety Council to unit fleets in -sometimes be useful to you and your com the Commercial Vehicle Section are strong munity in- promoting safety programs in evidence th^t well conducted safety contests which you are interested. Many of diem save lives and property. . will undoubtedly be glad to be of sendee in Speech-Making Materials.--The safety di promoting die local or general Safety Move rector or other business executive or public ment official who is scheduled to talk on accident Knowledge of the Safety Movement.--You prevention, either in his own organization can't know too. much about be National or the community, will find both materials Safety Movement These Transactions of and excellent examples of safety talks in . the Congress will broaden your knowledge dime pages. Make use of diem as folly as of the whole field of safely activity. They yon desire will-help you get die National Safety pic {? Note the many carefuliy prepared papers ture, give yon a better, understanding of die by die judges!, public prosecutors and other, wide cooperation for human welfare carried municipal offidals and by polioe representa on vigorously today in ten thousand com tives in die Street and Highway Traffic ses munities. sions. Note die thoughtfhi and instructive papers by school executives and others in the Child Education Sessions. And note the helpful discussions presented in die Home Safety and the Farm Safety Sessions. NotionalSafety CouncilService.--It should be nsebd.for yon to understand bow the Council annually serves its members and die National Safety Movement by organizing this vast Congress, by enlisting the willing Outstanding Safety Leaden.--You and cooperation of -hundreds of speakers, and other executives in your organization or other safety workers, and by $Smding all community-should be familiar with the per this reference material for practical, use in sonalities and words of outstanding safety the prevention of acdoents of au-ldnads. > prouoffiSafety know * r comms in ! them nee in Move- t shook! am die and the pniMBg willing err "id & Jn l,use in ids. Council Purposes and Program The National Safety Council is a non profit cooperative association whose objec tive is the elimination of accidents. To achieve this objective the Council advocates the following'program of safety activities: 1. Creating Interest in Safety. People will, try to prevent accidents only when they are convinced of three things: (a) that acci dents are realty a serious problem, threaten ing personal happiness, industrial efficiency and economic security ; (b) that accidents don't "just happen," but that each one has definite; ascertainable causes; (c) that acci dents can be prevented. The basic require ment in a national safety program, there fore, 4 a dramatic and effective presentation of these feds to more and more people. 2. binding Accident Came*. Accident causes are not. the same In any two plants, in^any two cities, in any two schools. They "t the same from one time to another, industrial plant, every city, every tool and every other public or private or ganization, therefore, must study die causes of accidents in its own group, so.that pre vention efforts always will be directed at die things realty responsible for accidents. 3. Ifahrtafnfng Interest in Safety. Peo- j pie retain interest in very few things of | which they are not continuously reminded. Therefore, It Is the task of the newspaper, the radio, the magazine, the school, the I public speaker and every other, educational influence to keep reminding the worker, the driver, die pedestrian, the housewife and dip [school child that freedom from accidents de pends on personal caution, and dot the safe [way is the right way and the best way-- | from'the standpoint not only of human sat isfaction, but of social efficiency and econ|omy. Engineering Improvement Many mts occur because equipment is fealty, punch , press is unguarded, the autobrakes are worn, the stairway is crudely built, die propeller is defective, the stop sign is obscured. The avoidance of accidents, therefore, requires, that safety be built into every piece of machinery, every home, every school building, every highway. We must insist that the tilings we buy-- whether a stepladder or a stop sign, a band saw or a blast furnace--be safe things. And we must be willing if necessary to pay. a higher price because of this built-in safety: factor, realizing that it is true economy to do so. 5. Training for Safety: Many accidents occur because die injured person or some other person acts in an unsafe manner. This unsafe act often is committed because die person involved never has been taught how to do the job in die safe way. Therefore, boys and girls, men and women, must be taught how to work, how to drive, how to cross the street, how to .live safety. This teaching and training is a joint responsibility of jndusby, of schools and colleges, of gov ernmental groups and of parents in the home. . & Supervision for Safety. Many who know will the safe method of performing an act nevertheless are involved in accidents because, due to fanny, fatigue; thoughtless ness or some other reason, they do not per form the act in what they know it the safe way. Therefore, we need good foremen in indostty, alert patrol boys in our schools, diligent: police officers on our streets, thoughtful parents in our homes. These, supervision, can greatly minimize the chances of accident 7. Legislation for Safety. Avoidance of accidents requires die adoption and scien tific enforcement of sound lopslatian--legis lation on traffic, on industrial matters, on public transportation, on home construction and maintenance, and on many items of per sonal conduct Such legislation prorides a standard to which a huge majority of people are willing to conform and dins live 6 30th National Safety Congress t together harmoniously and safely. It also provides a basis for requiring the conform ity of a small minority, who would not otherwise be willing to submerge their per sonal desires, for foe sake of safety in foe entiregroup. 8. Safety Responsibility. Leadership in every walk of life should involve leader ship in safety. Those who administer our industries, our schools and our govern mental agencies of every sort should cany on those activities so that safe products and services are provided for foe general public, so that accident hazards for foe persons directly involved are reduced to a minimum, and 'so that those persons, in all their public and private relationships, will set a personal example of safe living. 9. Safety Organization. Every organ ization, regardless of its principal purposes, can and should find some place for safety fo its program of activities. Accident preven tion should have a large place in foe activi ties of trade associations, chambers of com merce, service dubs, welfare organizations, educational associations and similar groups. Every community and every state also should have one organization which takes responsibility for coordinating foe safety ef forts of all groups into a unified accident prevention program. 10. Leadership. This program of activi ties can be effective only with the interest and cooperation of everyonep-men, women and children- It is the desire of foe National Safety Council to provide national leader ship through which these safety efforts ot all our people may be coordinated and made most effective. To this end foe Goundl of fers fullest cooperation to all indrvidnals, industries, organizations, communities and states foat are in accord with its purposes. It likewise series cooperation from all these in carrying out an effective national program of accident prevention. rf comza&ms, groups, to also h lakes ifety accident Street and Highway Traffic Section f activi- interest women National . leader* Sorts ot nd made uadi of* liridaals, ties and purposes, all these program Officers 1940-1941 General Chairman--Judge Harry H. Chief Justice, Muodpal Chart, Evanston, HL First Vice-Chairman--Caxl J. Rutland, President, TexasSafety Association, 518 Interurban Btrilding, Dallas, Texas. | Second Vice-Chmrman--'W. Graham Cole, Director of Safety, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York City, New York. I Third Vice-Chairman--Frank C Lynch, Manager, Greater Los Angeles Safety Council, 1151 Sooth Broadway, Los Angde$ California. | Fourth Vice-Chairman--Walter B. Martin, Secretary, Peoria Association of. Commerce Safety Council, Peoria, Illinois. \Chaumm, Committee on Accident Records--Wileus S, Smith, Research Assistant, Bureau for Street Traffic Research, Yale University.New Haven, Conn. ^ iChmrman, AnnOal Congress Program Committee--Richard O. Bennett, Director,{Lansing SafetyCoundl, Lansing, Michigan. j- |Members at Large-- Harry Barsantee, Supervisor, News Bureau, Travders Insurance Cbaipany, Hart ford, Coon. Earl F. Campbell, Secretary-Director, Portland Traffic Safety Commission, Deport ment of Public Works, Portland, Oregon. Cast. Fred C Mills, Director of Health and Safety, Boy Scouts of America, New York City, N.Y. D. G.- Reynolds, Director of Public Safety, Miami, Florida. Capx. C. J. Scavarda, Commanding Officer, Safety, Traffic, and Operators' License Division, Michigan State Police, East Lansing, Michigan. Arnold H. Vet, State Traffic Engineer, Trenton, New Jersey. r-Officto, Former General Chairmen-- _ . .. William C Knoelk, Chairman, Milwaukee Safety Compassion, Milwaukee^.Wis. Professor Roger L. Morrison, Department of Tf^itw^y Engineering and Highway Transport, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, T' ' Secrefory-^EARL J. Reeder, Chief Traffic Engineer, National Safety Council, hoc., Chicago, VL Officers 1941-1942? xeneral Chairman--Carl J. Rutland, Texas Safety Association, Dallas, Texas. First Vice-Chairman--W. Graham Cole, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, N. Y. * Second Vice-Chairman--Dos. F. Stiver, L&iana State Police, Indianapolis, Bod. fAirrf Vice-Chcarmah--Walter B. Martin, Peoria Association of Commerce Safety Council, ^Peoria, HL > 1h Vice-Chairman--Arnold H. Vey, Trenton,N. J.i i etectedby ddegstes is Congress Session. <.y\ r '?.:l w?- vy-``:?:*< ,%*5C.V1 59 5i 8'2.3''S <8 18 & . S IS B*9-HTSr&ST 3 3 - 3 8 50/A National Safety Congress Chairman, Committee on Accident Records--Wilbur S. Smith; State Highway Department, Columbia, S. C. J i Chairman, Annual Congress Program Committee--Earl F. Campbell, Portland Traffic Safety Commission, Portland, Ore. Members at Large-- C"'~' \ Harry. Barsantee, Supervisor Travelers Insurance Company, Hartford, Connecticut Captain G J. Scavarda, Traffic and Operators' License Division, Chief of Police, East ii Lansing, Mich. W. K. Ingram, Chief of Police, South Bend, Indiana. j ; Paul F. Hill, Director, Div. of Safety Education, State Department ofcPuMic Safety, Des Moines, Iowa. ' D. Grant Mickle, Gty Traffic Engineer, Detroit, Mich. Ex-Officio, Former General Chairmen-- Professor Roger L. Morrison, .Department of Highway Engineering and Highway Transport University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. Judge Harry H. Porter, Municipal Court, Evanston, UL Secretary--Harvey D. Booth, National Safety Council, Chicago, III. General Chairman--W. B. Weaver, Marshall Field & Co., Spray, N. G Vice-Choirman-^F*AncES Bethuke, R. N., Employers Mutuals, Charlotte, N. G Secretory and News Letter Editor--Jons J. Burger, W. J. Dickey & Sons, Inc, Odla, Md. Engineering and Safe Practices Pamphlet Committee Chairman--*E. A. Roberts, America^ Mutual Liability Insurance Co., Atlanta, Ga. .: Health Committee Chairman--;M- F. Trice, N. G State Board of Health, Raleigh, N. G Membership and Publicity Committee Chairman--W. EL Monros, Alabama Department Industrial Relations, Montgomery, Ala. * Program Committee Chairman--L. L, Eaton, Liberty-Mutual Insurance Co., Spartanbuxj S. G . Committee on Cooperation with Trade Associations, Chairman--F. H. Shuford, N. G De^. partment of Labor, Raleigh, N-'C Visual Education Committee Chaimuui--H. McKelvie, Merrimack Manufacturing I Huntsville,Ala, *' Members at Large-- J. E. Begem, Johns-Manville Crop, Maaville, N. J. '> B. R. Brown, Columbia Mills Inc,* Rosdand, Chicago, I1L /] J. T. Brown, E. L du Pont de Nemours &' Ccl, Inc, Old Hickory, Tenn. EL R. Cory, Beacon Manufacturing Co., Swaunanoa, N. G Arthur S. Johnson, American Mutual Liability Insurance'Co., Boston, Mass. *F. E. MoRRis, Liberty Mutual Insurance Ql, Boston,'Mass. T. A. Wilson) N. G Industrial Commission, Raleigh, N. G *Fact General Chairman 1 83 39 . 5 & & S MONDAY AFTERNOON SESSION ; October 6,1941 ' ;' Joint Session ofStrtfctsand Highway Traffic Section with Commercial Vehicle Section^Transit Section and Institute of Traffic Engineers Presiding:--Ixslsx J. Sorenson, Gty Traffic Engineer, Gty of Chicago, and Vice-President: for Public Safety, N. S. G .* of TO t. 9 * Street arid Highway Traffic Section The State Government's Responsibility for Safety v By HON. MURRAY p./^AN WAGONER Governor, State of Michigan, Lansing, Mich. As for the State Highway Department's part hi this discussion, let me point out that in Michigan'we do not coniine ourselves com* pletely to the engineering phase of highway safety. We cany on from time to time effec tive educational efforts., Naturally, enforce ment Is left entirely to the Michigan State Police. may lie In years to come, It is only because such a development would parallel the exten sion we are now witnessing. That is, the ex tension of safe driving responsibilities from local governments to die state government. If there is anything to be learned from this expansion, die federal agency and Its proce dure will be benefitted. In discussing die state government's re sponsibility for safety, one may wonder why it is necessary that a state government should make itself responsible for this problem'at all, and why did not that responsibility arise many years ago? *' > Remember now. it is traffic safety which is bring discussed. It seems logical that just as the motorcar has developed from the pon derous vehicle of yesteryear, rarely driven . beyond die city limits, to the sleek, .modem, masterpiece of mechanical transportation, so has the problem of traffic safety kept pace and spread beyond die city limits to the areas where neither the municipality nor the county was prepared to provide a solution. The state's assumption of die responsibility for traffic safety^is a reasonable one, al though we can wy/say this hi retrospect Just as our highWay construction has foiled to keep pace-with die development of the motorcar, s> has the development of adequate anr-cOordinated safety programs foiled to keen race with the construction of highways and the general growth.of vehicle transporta tion. We did not foresee die necessity for traffic safety. In practically every case, die occurrence of any effort, whether it were by committee, by law, or by proclamation, it has always lagged behind the occurrence of shamefuldeath tolls, injuries and property damage.' We 'all know that interstate driving is (i ^ W<ehope that in the event the federal gov already here and w3l,.no doubt, continue to ernment steps into the highway traffic safety expand. The expansion will reach-a point picture, it will plan for safe-driving meas where it. may be necessary for the Federal ures at die same time it planyrfpF^nch other government to take a hand in the.sotation of responsibilities as design, rightof-iway, con the traffic problems. struction and maintenance. Foreshadowing this development is -first, the nationwide'safety efforts of the National Safety^ Council; second, last August, for die first time in history, the President of the United States issued a proclamation urging the Council to lead a nation-wide campaign. The Public Roads Administration, though now confined to the allotment. of funds for the sttpervirion and inspection of Federal Aid highways, may some' day assume for the Federal government the added responsibility of traffic safely. The administration's present requirements, that highways built under its supervision be safely engineered, may indi cate the administration's future assumption of the mponsibilily. If them has been too . much discussion de voted to where the responsibility for safety So we see that While the problem of traffic safety is still strongly locaj in character, the development and increase~oT cross-country travel have enlarged that responsibility to a point where the state government feds its burden. Somehow, state governments have been comparative^ late fa feding this burden. In many Of onr states, we lave long established boards for the protection of a multitude of activities. In Michigan, for example, we have several- state boards and commissions to provide die public with several types of protection and safety. | : The state guarantees that when you take a prescription to the drug store it will be filled . "! in. i- ;yj 10 30th National Safety Congress 3 * 8 g 8 8 \ SiSJ'Sas- 8`S e .. according to die rules and regulations of the Board of Pharmacy; that when phtmbing is installed in your home, it win hot fall below the requirements of die State Plumbing Board. I cotikl go on listing, state responsibilities for safety through the creation of boards and commissions governing everything from a woman's hair-dress through die Beard of Cosmetology to insurance of.pedal protection as regulated by die State Board of Chiro practic Examiners. , In Michigan, we were late, no doubt, as in many other states, in coordinating safety ac tivities aimed at die persons using our high ways and streets. This should not be inter preted as any reflection upon the splendid work' of die. Michigan State Police^ die De. partment of'Public Instruction, die Depart ment of State, and die State Highway De, partment As a matter of fact, these four organiza tions without benefit of legislation lave in die past met and of their own accord assumed responsibility for coordinating traffic safety' activities. : However, at the last session of the Legis lature, a bill was passed entitled, "An Act to create.die Michigan state safety commission for the promotion of greater safety cm die public highways and other places within the state of Michigan; to study traffic condi tions ; to investigate and eliminate menaces to public safety; to form the Michigan safety council and appropriate moneys therefore." The establishment of this commission, I be lieve, is entirely in keeping with the recom mendations of . the National Safety Council, the National Institute of Traffic Engineers, and the Automotive Safety Foundation. partments.. of^Sfate government in regard to traffic safety ^promote uniform and effective programs ofsafety on streets and. highways; to intetyhaiige,information among the several'departments of"- the state government for.. more effective safety conditions; to cooperate with officials of the United States govern ment and with focal governments in regulat ing highway, {raffle, mid to encourage safety education in the'state'of Michigan. . The bill autborises the Commission to em ploy an executive secretaryjipd the necessary personnel to carry out fmoaet of die act An annual appropriation'of &0OO from the operators' and. ctauffcutiLfond Is pro vided for the Commission., This is believed to be model legislation governing die state's responsibility for traffic, safety. Under normal conditfonswe might let it go at dot But today, we are not oper ating . under normal conditions. ' We are operating under a national emergency. You areall aware ofthe tremendous indus trial activity and plant expansion going on all over die country. Michigan is an exception. Its industrial activity is for greater thanihat of the majority of foe states. This statement can be backed up with statistical data pro vided by the Office of Production Manage ment. As a result, the spurt in industrial activity has naturally been'accompanied by a com parable, increase in traffic.. ;Tbere are snore persons driving more cars more miles; there are more pedestrians circulating ;on oqr streets; and there are increased commercial vehicles, busses and trucks operating longer hours. Traffic expansion not expected until upon us now. is A Among its provisions are;, that the Com mission shall -be made up of the Governor, die Secretary of State,-the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Highway Com-' missioner, and the Commissioner of the State Police. It is important .to our program of national defense production that the workers reach the plants in which they are empfoyed with a minimum of congestion, delay and danger. It is important that die transportation attssmrial industrial and' militasy supplies, which commercial vehicles carry, reach their desti- The members receive no compensation for nations with a minimum of congestion, delay this service nor do thqr have authority, power and danger. Unfortunately, these twb essen , or duties already vested in other departments tials ate no\ being realized u efficiently as of state government we sbotdd like. The Act requires that the Commission hold In Michigan, we are fortunate in that De meetings at least oqce a month. Thc Comnns- troit and the other larger cities have efficient skm is to consult and cooperatewith all de and well-operating traffic safety coinmis- if fe - 3 S*8.iS . -SI 2 K 8*3 V- Street and Highway Traffic Section 11 urd to votive ways; event it' lor. perate overs* gulatsafety to <Bn* tnuy of die I from i pro* ilatkw traffic WWgtlt toper* "e are fadus* ; on all mlfart ted ) a !**anage- non. Traffic engineers of proven ability are " If these dungs are not dope and done at enjoyed. .Although cold figures show in- once; if toe state does.nek officially step in creases in traffic accidents, there is: no tell and lend- its support, to the municipal, public ing how. much grcaterthese tolls would be and private organizations already engaged in were it notfortheintelUgent and progressive traffic safety, then we facenot only increased efforts erf Michigan's local safety bodies. deaths, increased permanent injuries, and m* Even if there were no impetus in activity due to rational defense, it would be time, for the stategovenunent to take its place as the coordinatorof the work of the local safety commissions. 'Now, that necessity is all die more urgent creased property damage, but we are threatened with serious impairment to our national defense activities^. through* Joss, of men and work-hours; through delay In. transportation of defense materials; through faereasedtkups of vitally necessary trucks. because of longer hours required in transportation; It istirae that one of the state's greatest causes of death, injuries, and property dam* age receive the attention from toe state gov* eminent it deserves. through waste of gasoline fa congested driv ing; through destruction of automotive parts in heavy traffic "rtop-and-go" driving; and through a possible defection fa the morale of toe people who viewing these conditions fa It is time-toe state recognize toe necessity months to come might resign themselves to. [ for facing tots problem squarely with a de the attitude of toe state which does nothing i termined effort that it do whatever can be to solve he problem by asking the question, ! done to turn.badc toe tide.and build a dyke "Why doesn't the state govenunent do some* j against further destruction by overflowing tiuftff about tkfa;ta^ciituatiou,,?.- I traffic tolls. The prevalence of sod) an attitude would It fa tone toe state pass the necessary kgfa* not only hinder the safety work of local I lation to provide toe forceful attention re* commissions, but would seriously set bade quired to curtail if not completely erase the any sincere efforts the government in ques appalling tolls due to automotive traffic. tion" may eventually attempt ictrrity i com* : more ; there a opr nerval longer l^Sis atiooal i reach with a ger. It E-essen^ which r destib dday essen* ntly as tatPe* efficient SOffiffiQ"* /\ ! \ Value of Transportation Company Participation in , a Community Safety Program By jAMES P. TRETTON Indianapolis Railways, Indianapolis, Ind. One of toe most helpful policies we cam jail adopt i^kok occasionally at the other I fellow'siob;and try to understand his prob- Items. A %tomenttli)rftwmL properly or* [ganixed and?" well-spaMbrtd community fety program rests this principle. 1 Any plan of improvement in traffic facilities lor regidatious ..under. such a program must |be designed for the needs of the.commbnity |as a whole, for toe tcunonc welfare of our jeomomnity is dependent upoa,themoye- Imeat of huge numbers of people and not |open toe movement of merc vehicles. Yet it has been ohtywitbjfa toe past two years that public transportation has re* Iceived^ibme of the-consideration it so. fatty deserves from planning" officials apd^other Igroapsi^ At toe 1939 conference .toe American -Society of Fhmnfag Officials, H was stated that planners themselves "would be better qualified /to create new tnhan patterns if they were" more fully. informed- on the problems of public transportation." At tins same, conference; toe. statement was made thattheqnestion of pobbctrajjsit "was an issue of tremndoat significance to nril- lions of city dwellers," but that it had, been sidestepped. - ; Such public cbnnderatom will bring abouLJ improvement in traffic conditions in our com munities at a minimum: cost because.of the devdopment aid faller utilization, of existing public transit facilities. Any agency tint can bring about a reduction in congestion and trafficaccidents by transporting .large numbers of people identity certainly should . a'.-LX; j'.'AV.'V* .i-Vv.'t":: /**. riv*sf> > 12 30th National Safety Congress C be; a vital part of any properly^organized \_x6mniamty safety program. / ' Nov just what has die. transit industry to offer to communities in their safety pro grams that is of definite, tangible. value? It is nor belief that transit.company par ticipation is nothing less tbap^e backbone of any good community safety- pr Since 1932 the transit indfetry has made substantial improvements through the _mod ernization of its plant, equipment and' all phases of operation, and today it stands upon die threshold of still further gains along this line. The safety record of the transit indn resulting in only L8 passenger fat per one billion passenger miles, did : happen. It has bom the result of i and intensive efforts and the training and supervision of its employees, followed up with frequent accident prevention meetings and safety contests. Finally, the transit industry has to offer what I consider to be -a very important contribution to accident prevention. That is, the addition in 1938 of an accident research staff under the direction. of Mr. Merwyn A. Kraft; accident' prevention engineer, at our American Transit Association ' head quarters in New York Gty.Tbroughthe studies now being developed by this accident reseai$h staff, transit companies will receive the benefit of actidentresearch on. the in dustry's acddent problon that no mdividnal company could possibly have undertaken. These staffieswffienabteindmdual com panies to use effective methods for deter mining causes of accidents and this should ultimately lead to ^permanent aid practical solution of the problem. ' With the facilities that a transit company las to offer in a community, bywfuch large numbers of people can be.moved with utmost : sat&, efficiency and economy; with a thor- ongfdy traihed, weD-disdplined atid eqeti- enced personnel;with rigidand frequent, inspection of its transit vehicles, keeping them at a high standard <ff safety; and now having the benefit of a well-organized acci dent re&earchstaff to add the transit in-, dostry, participation in a community safety program by a lojad-transportatioo company cannot hdp but/he''ofvdefinite and tangible value. \! ) ar A City Government's Responsibility for Safety c , By;ROSS L. LEFFLER Chairman of the Better TrafficXommittee Of dm City of Pittsborgh, Pittabnrgh, Pa. I do not believe there is any question as to their change. Since it. is obvious that this whether safety is an appropriate function of destruction must cease, I know .of no more a city government, as that is clearly estab appropriate body dan your dty*government, lished. To me, safety is not only a function, working hand in hand with your, state and but one of the most important functions. In national governments to solve tins problem. I too many places, it is not receiving the whole sincerely believe that any city government is . hearted efforts and cooperation that it should. definitely accountable to its citizens for pro- ."v With the form of government we have in - this country, as a contrast with that of many viding. the services to keep tbem free frbim; * ac cidents. * *. ..4 .'* other countries in fee world today* any au Traffic engineering is^of^utmost impor thoritative public servant should be thankful tance, as many of ohr dti^t were plamied to perform to his best ability those functions long ago. The streets in general art inade requiredby his city's charter. Unfortunately, quately designed to carry present volumes. he is sometimes hampered by lack'of a thor In addition, tiie use of these streets has been ough knowledge of safety and, in far too pretty moch established from habits and many, cases, dominated by political interfer practices of years back. Special privileges, ence. Generally, too, he is faced with an in such as street loading and parking, are self- different public toward enforcement iff traffic * ishly demanded by. business establishment regulations. These obstacles mnsf and will be The restrictions as to .turns, are usually bit removed, as society will eventually demand terly-opposed by .those- establishments that Street and Highway Traffic Section 13 to at 4he " nt ve nal s. n- SPs Id ak ny ge ost >r- ri- ent. tog . ow sd& ety ray ble \) Pa. this lore tent, and m. I it is pOr torn; per illed aide- been sjnd tges, selfoent that \ are' focated nearby and many ofthe mass neither an educator-nor a. publicity -man; transportation Footings are dictated.by.the therefore, I do not profess to know, how this famryestabliahrii&itsr This combination of ' change in .attitude and die creation; of public erroneous pramces\has resnlted in serious demand-can be most readhyraccranWidied. It congestions at locathms in the dti^.; is, however, quite evident when yon consider, While' accident statistics have, proved that the little change id reduction of^traffic acriA not many serious -accidents occur in these dats in the fast 15 years, that mrihods far congested kxationsj l am of die opinion that more spectacular than die present'must be this series of delays at thesejn^ny locations - "used. -. " are considerablyresponsiblefora large,hum-. ' her of the accidents. This stop-and go driving unquestionably has considerable cffect upon The "Wby"iof Accident* the attitude of the driver and probably has . . From our:past experiences widt traffic ac- modi to. do with his "stepping on the gas" tident records, it is evident tint there is. need. when. driving, on die' less congested' streets. for kamim/wR of die "vyhy" of .accidents. Not only is this congestion cretfifag..traffic We kno^/the^mra^ ran thnongba stop . accidents, but it-is drasticalfr-reducing prop sign or wi^^peeding^im committing some erty valmtiaas in many sections in die rides other violation, but'we haye nokpowledge as by forcing a* shifting of.business interests to why tifase-drivers opcwW?tneir viehicles frequently beyond the outskirts of the rity. in this^manner. Probably this information Therefor it seems to me .that more inten would be available if we knew, orcbuld find sive efforts should, be made by traffic .engi out, the attitude .of these drivers towards neers apd other city officials in solving this traffic movement and'safety. Spedalresearch complicated problem of congestion. tiiis st&jcctshouldbe(farriedon. present traffic death rate and injuries \ .<jFjjedestrians, particularly in cities, places a " definite cballenge upon the traffic engineers. . If these.accidents, areto be reduced, die Iaiger-dties must provide proper facilities at" points where pedestrians, most cross heavy volumes of traffic. Today--as we did many years ago---we are still displaying posters and billboards with slogans of "DRIVE SAFELY/* "STAY ALIVE," "AVOID ACCIDENTS," etc. A more selective' educational, program confined to specific thoughts, I believ^ will be far more productive in. reducing traffic accidents. This is hot a hew procedure but has been ad Emotion a .Safety Factor vocated for several .years' by the National Safety Council.. Possibly this'indicates the From our past /experience, I feel greater necessity for a more.. extensive and tbor-. -. impetus is necessary in the educationsubdi oqghly planted edoetiiahal program substan vision. Here falfr die task not only of edu- tiated whfi factual data; rather than a general cating.tbe citizens in safe driving and walk- publicity program. ] ing practices but, id my opinion, it must ac complish die! greater job of arousing.the Many medhnmcan be . used and various citizens' emotions to dcnnnd' and practice methods employed in a well planned educa traffic`safety. Unless this is accomplished, tional program at ahominalcost to the dty, the efforts of the other two sdbdmabns.are as in most cases splendid cooperation is not realized to their fullest extent as full ablefrom the newspapers, radio stations public cooperaion is not available. At pres large corporations. Some of these meth< ent, I fed; die citizens in general know the are described in detail in die National Safety majority of safewaBringanddrmng rules, Council publication entitled, "Educating-the but we hayefailedin creatingJthrir attitude . Public for Traffic Safety." towards .practicing these rules.1 We have also failed in establishing foremost hi.their minds the severity aftite.traffic accident problem as a personal responsibility. While I.have chosen to discussthe En forcement subdivision last, I wishto empha size diat it is of equal importance as rither of the other tw<f subdivisions. As the name If you. would analyte those cities having implies, it is the function of tiiis subdivision the lowest traffic accident record, you would to enforce tiie traffic laws and, in cases of most likely find-tint their citizens have be accidents, to aid in the. punishment of the come very conscfous of tins problem. I am guilty drivers. . r*r 30th Nafetyil SafetyCongress \ w1 ' Ii is obvious then that goodenforcement those ` aBaiterma'- requires full cooperation betweenppliceand mustalfoapptyjto^^ courts. The measure .of such cooperation can apohtical-organiiatiop appUcspressure to'. - readily be determined by tbe percentage1 of . effect a temedyffOTrti^^o^-''^^ ; Cthe citations which resulted in convictioos. If the basis* ti^perso^bdKfr ratberthan \This percentage of convictions, in comparison on die basis o^/fi^oal^a^TiRnci; nei^w;t.ttecie / with dtationsfalls below 90 per cent it indi can but result jraFuahehm^ cates the lack of cooperation between these remedies. - .;;.= enforcing agencies or a lack in proper arrest procedures. > * If an administration accepts as a policy for v.': - Aronse/tha ; .V -iv-'vr' ' Traffic Court, leniency towards traffic viola-tors or the fixing of traffic cases, the traffic officers cannot be expected to issue sum* mooses for violations only to have them can celled by someone higher in authority, re- . gardless of ^trir merits. Thus, not only are , But.let us not.coodd must lock at our own l tbeyarec^iuPex^^ pur own ;-pr^emi-.d&\^ the path for*ah 'effttt^-trafBc-1safety: gram. It :therefore ^ : traffic violators discharged; butany are hot even served with summonses,/with the over all effect a general breakdown' of enforce ment ensues.' vene/w......................... problem fotbqn,ai)dle^ In this < maimer there, 'will: be a/meeting of minds and an tmdostahdingofthe doriresjof eadi.-r.am certainthatyonwiUffiiddiw In The public today is quite coosdons of the tentions .of.the best,/but they need ahprgan- service an administration raiders a comma- , ized efforttobringabc^thedesirede^ in nity. This unquestionably^ reflected at-.ifa-. theirovracity., tore elections. Afterfthfe administration has, . toJ,, ...... __________________ been convinced.'that goodjeOforcementis good "_ proridi^iri^^^ politics, there aremany ways'to improvethe,/ 'topqqt:^tsi^;;iaS|ie^aAipiauJbM^riad|^;/ enforcement procedure. heringto ;gp/fo. yam-public. T canthink :bf/wcf/hetter'.'^H; Special Privilege proach that wifl aroose a slttping populace - than a play ba^tbedr emotions* The public Reflect for a moment, if yon will, on the must be aroosed. Thcy. musthe advised logi personnel of your city's administration. These cally andintelligttttytbai theaeddent situ men were elected by the majority of the peo ation in their own/ commnnity ii a greater ple to represent them and to cany out their scourgehan the bis^'/of wishes. Intrinsically each .city official desires . Some' may cafl/thfr edbcarti^ to do the right thing. When a dty adminis foinitt'friiiay/'ta^;fr''*y " tration deviates from the proper applications eningthe pec^to"*ee,J........ of traffic safety methods, we'mnst go behind the curtain front and talk with the mein who meat" /;Ant. :iii4ltn1istrai^ are ptdlihg the fopei. Who are these inter tion, coupled wUh iith arocsed public,will ' ventionists in your city's safety program? Do. bring into' focus drcnada^I at/dds/rager4 these-men truly represent die desires of the , of the problem, jr<to 'n^>j& toap- majority of the people? .You will find dial a; ply theproperra small minority of personswho seek to inter- . the picture for you ;b^:.sayi^.tim^n^:|be.' vene for their own sdfish aggrdndixementa. ** unwittingly undermine traffic/safety. Where lmovn^/tW:^ " rM.: yon will find afavored grotty of persons, yon ' gatieries^and ,;do wffi find yonr safety program crnxdiling from . to mm pettiness. The public, as I have mentioned be- /fr"a^dj^yrepM^l^^rfti fore, will not shbscribe'-fo its:.program, for - ' btydd^'thatif/irSoi&jw r..' *-s -jr P i n ->- : ii. ijy: - c.-'Sjf.BiSks5S^atjitaiiSiSj3a8ii' . .. -v.-, . ...?-..,',- vs'.-;t> . ' V ; ) pStreef(^H{gktvayTiafficSectwn ;; I -V |\ \. I I " ., I " - y"Y~?v.sv-! )> .'** ^tr!-'-. Q^oW7il94J ~ j- .i"^'v''. ,4^ . i'.vV!..**'`:-i GroiipSessionof Tr^C;^i^^judget| and'Pto^^ ' " *7 p^P.iv;;--^ 1$ Com- fce, BS. . of fStssrV-' Xsawk<.i::-;': v c:.-~ .'' /X~\y '} '' Af^4g#ij * ,ia% ,. . f' _ j' j['u'!' |',' "ftp "eCoert, Bthbno(e, L_ . . .Ui a sUlut^cobritgieatedmrt htm^'jniisdictioii is Umhed solely to ........... ....... ^ ...... -in tbe;^'^.^'stt ipietf ";'eqniew fugfrwayj incnaaedi . ........... increase tffe-^iifwsi^ onthe; docket not.. a-;' jarbi^ia3t'.'''b^''V.aii!r:;1 s^an,/jW^eraqr -^nstice? dependson W1b^M:^'knon('the lqcrf^yfe&,w or distritfrvlcadcr is vwron& 'Sofaras ----------------t ^ ,, j`in 1937^'.coot* silted joflfbw.v 25 police deHc*.:.-. Afipjtcn^niafclsr `90,000: ^ssiiiises were haikfitMf/V--.*-=': '"! '.'v. perhaps. strangely eMogh^witlr'fee approval, ofthei^polithall^ a. position to g^tlierjtiacrt'- f`ixed fb..t.\.y..o...d.., 'and w ft^fipuiu^^Once- was .............. ... ............................... dwt' the courts and for ence that ;^ . ndie^i hejs;glad tohe rg^vif)%y ?:; &: l iion- . .. nxmnf:^ w ...f______ minor manly because' ' averagecithten ;ta'sfii^<tr^^in;''afPolice fF twapfeoTsuatyatthebin-eatt . The; . Cobitona' chargetnof'^ amount of Vfine' and costs for cuewasfn accordancewith a--; diwte|fe .;Tte itiidr^ tbe.lda^sti1^ con- iMttrtty (iWiMidW wwitri'rfWr^e^W' to Wwf iell- WtfveW,ntimvis still Sained-widimimir removeathe: incentive, 6n the! part of most athwisto fen .fesltittojf'orw- tothe "fiiwr^. vwbose. If.typin' lia^a^ayate^ :cases,*;s^^ aiMda:: Ibe' sbifcr:*-^- ^ *--.aair. ows^joimwase.w.^iWr^ |wy.i`iwa i^awsiij^aasws *^trl fc:. - i i : i' J- 5J?3S 16 30th National Safety Congress whereby II the violator fails to avail him self of the privilege of the "pay off" Bureau and elects to stand trial, his fine, 11 found guilty ist higher. Returning to the all important subject of the summons, the Baltimore Safety Council, for some few yean prior to 1937, had beenengaged hi making a thorough study of the administrative,side of the traffic court En forcement of traffic violations in Baltimore at that time was certainly no better than that '':~in cities of comparable size, the "fix" was a /racket with wide ramifications. The' then Governor pf Maryland and the Police Com missioner of Baltimore, at the initial ex pense of the Baltimore Safety Council, con sented to the change in the form and handling of the summons in traffic court cases. Briefly, the change made it possible to trace the sum mons and fix responsibility for the individual ticket from the time the summons book was issued to the officer until the charge was either paid off and entry to that effect made on the payable docket, or actually tried be fore the magistrate whose docket showed the ultimate disposition. This is the "tripli cate ticket system." Under .our practice each Police Officer is assigned two days a month to the Traffic Court and is instructed to set his- cases for trial at least eight days from the date the summons is given the violator, but in no event further ahead, than his second* day in court During this interval, if the charge is one which can be payed out in advance and payment is made, an entry to that effect is made on die payable docket, the filing clerk returns the copy of tire irammons.to die sum mons cleric with that notation and the sum mons book shows date of payment opposite the entry showing date of receipt of the summons. If the charge is not payable, or has .not been paid, die filing cleric toms over to die - docket cleric about three days before trial, those cases which ire to appear on the trial docket The final disposition of each case tried is daily reported to the summons clerk and as-each case is disposed of entry to that effect is entered opposite the date of receipt of the summons. The foregoing procedure prompted a change in the pay off bureau. It is apparent some few days must,' of necessity elapse be fore a case is actually docketed. It is equally' apparent that time and expense will be saved if a violator, who is going to pay out, pays but before die-ease is actually docketed and the court calendar js made up. To pro vide for this and as an added inducement to act promptly, the violator..may pay his ticket within five days upon Ids recript-of the same and thereby save added costs. A joy out subsequent to five' days is charged - with docket costs. The Trial Magistrates Believe me when I say again that l am no reformer in the general, ofiheword. I am prhnarily .a a'magistrate,' and my interest * Omit ties in the fact tiiat believe the so called Uw conrffVdil^ fo and cm.be run fairly and honestly without pressure on the Magistrate: In Maryland, we have been particularly successful in keeping politics away from botJ appointment to and operation of our higher courts! -With respect to our. magistrates, Maryland,, like other states! has long re garded appointments to the minor courts as a reward for political activity. . /Tv * For some years past the Bar `Association of Baltimore has givep ffietjatter consider able thought Goyarno'rs .mythe past while anxious bod wiltihg for'timj Bar Associa tion's recommendations for appointees to tiie higher courts when a vacancy arose; frankly made the magistrates . appointments with party politics in mind. : In tiie early winter of 1939; shortly after his election .Governor Herbert R. O'Conor asked the Bar Association, of! Baltimore to furnish him with a. list of lawyers who, in its opinion, were qualified for: appointment as Magistrates to the police courts, peoples' court; traffic courtand juvenile court Gbv-,ernor. 0*Canbr used , these recommendations as. a guide nrhis appointments! Up until tiustime-Battimore City was. probably unique in tiiat the clerical dirties of the traffic court, as heretofore mentioned, were handtatbgr police officers. Therewere, at the time, 25 officers so employed. The Police Commissioner was anxious to get these men back on the street to perform strictly police duties and, in 1939, the legis lature; then bring in session, a traffic court bill was passed. The major improvements were two-fold: . m S i * 3 S 8 . . ' B `.g>g jg a 9 a2,B a s a ^ af ,5 ^ Street and Highway Traffic Section^ 17 Fieri: Replacing the police personnel with 18eivilian clerics, saving the state $29,000 annually. : Second: Giving the traffic court magistrates more uiscrtuonasy powers) tuca as: L.The right to place minora on pro batton. . 2 The right to suspend sentence on pay mentofcosts. 3. TherightVto impose Jess ftaa the niiniiBUB'TOtotoj; fine. 4. Tbe right to suspend Operator's li cense attune of trial :- Weofthe trafficcourtof^M feel that any city contemplating improvement .in its system-., of enforcing traffic violations, should serionsly consider tbefollowing: 1.--The triplicate ticket ' system. . Z--Separate court fortraffic cases Any community having traffic , charges in excess, of 15,000 annually shouid set up a separate traffic court dr at least assign one Magistrate to Traffic cases solely. v 3.--The establishment of a violations tmreau. 4.--Educate the citizens that there is ho' . \i^<.Tlirih!'will .be.nooe.-;y. 5.--Backing 1y tiurcpmm^ty> . . . : Finaliy.bathy iw' iheans least impor- tant, your automobile dobs, and civic organizations citizens ^ most he behrnd the movement.. Once * they assertthemsdves infavorof hon est enforcement a favorable press will ; quickly follow. The improvement can7 not borne overnight. ft takes time to convince anyone; especially a politician, . that yon mean what you sayin amatter :of tins sort. Getting Adequate Evidence In Traffic Cases ' By'JUDGE EARLBW. FROST . Municipal Courts Kansas'City, Mo. . What is adequate evidence? Adequate evidence may be briefly but completely de fined as sufficient competent ..evidence in every case to' ensile the court definitely and conecflytodeterminetfaeinnocenceor guilt of an alleged traffic offender. This determination cannot tie correctly made if adequate evidence; giving a com plete. picture' .of -all of the material facte involved, is not properly presented. The tendering of Justice jto the alleged, offender and the responsibilityof the-couri>as a law enforcement agency absolutely demand that adequate, evidence he secured .and presented in every case.' j; _ The primary responsibniiy rests, of coarse, on tiie. police. department andtbe-attorney representing the city.: Acertain and impor tant measure of this responsibility, however, rests with tfaie courts at least to the. extent of endeavoring to correct anydefidepeyby' appealing to. tiie; police department and tiie attorney representing the dty to take the necessary initiative in th^ecuring of ade quate 'evidence and its priiper presentation in court Certainly no court desires the grave responsibility of rendering decisions in caseswhichare half tried and in which inadequate evidence'is presented. Under our system of jurisprtrience, and in Justice, to the defendant, the court most insoch cases disdiargehim for lack of snfficient evidence proring him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt Justice may. hot- be meted out to defendants .&' such-cases, not is the cause of. law enforcement aided. Rather, the de fendant .may. have gotten a "break" and enforcement Suffers another all too frequent setback; building up the burge total of traffic-violators who do not. pay the penalty. If the court continues to hear .' caste pre sented -on such basis and to discharge de fendants without adequate evidence being presented and' without endeavoring to .have such condition corrected, then the court also has been derelict ini&respbns&tiity. - Evidaice in traffic court cases, as in any other type of easeor-in any other court, cannot in anysense be considered adequate unlessitiscompetentAll too. frequently tiie complaint and criticism is. made, often with substantial basistthat traffic cases are r 18 30th National Safety Congress / hurriedly tried on hearsay and legally, in and tests and that they may be used as competent evidence. The fact that the vol- evidence against them. ume'-of traffic cases in our larger cities does require the conservation of time in these trials makes it all the more important that . such evidence, as is heard, should be strictly competent What are the best methods of getting adequate evidence in traffic cases? In at tempting to answer tills question I un indebted to the .Department, of /Police of Kansas Gty, and particularly to Snpt Henry Police officers, therefore, should be thor W. Johnson of the traffic and safety division oughly instructed and schooled as to just for the.-dodimehfaiyevidence .taken from what evidence is competent and what is not, . actual cases. [Judge Frost distributed a to avoid such violations of the rules of folder of cases at this point Ed] evidence as die making of voluntary-state ments by the officers, sometimes made right at the outset in the trial of a traffic case, concerning the bad record of die defendant and hearsay statements, as to the specific charge, and to avoid die failure of- police officers to secure competent evidence because relying on incompetent evidence which is. excluded at the trial" Of course, the past record of all alleged traffic offenders should be available so that. In the emit the defend ant is found guilty of a traffic violation, die court may have die benefit of such record in determining die penalty. Drivers' licenses on which are correctly noted -all -convictions and an npKto-the-nunute records The'various traffic offenses,-of course, do require, in addition to general, .treatment specific adaptations. We will consider the principal charges, taking up . spouting first There are two principal -Schools of thought concerning /tiie purpose of police officers which -often arises in ccnnotion with the control of speed One view.is.that tiie pur pose of police control is not to catch offend ers but rather to deter offenses;, The other view is that -police officers should not con fine their activities to mere patrol duties but should devise/aind put into effect means convicting. all parties, who exceed speed limits or violate traffic regulations. bureau from which die officers obtain the .it is dearly true tint few \ if any police offender's complete record card before trial - departments are sufficiently, manned to deter are effective means of having such evidence speeders because. the presenCe -of officers available. on all'streets iiftife ctty; and tiie. results in many places, im^xting Kanns iGty, would Officers Should be Trained indicate that the most effective!method is a' A regular officers' training school should be conducted by die -police department under the charge of officers who have had a thor- ough course of training and instruction and at which the city attorney and, if necessary, the traffic court judges act as instructors. combination, of tbetwo. Thatis,byhavmg( a certain number of motorcycle: officers and ' white safety cars v constantly patroling tiie streets and also by the use* of speed checks, which although commonly called "traps?* do not constitute legal entrapment.. . --Officers should be instructed to refrain from Adequate evidence of speeding may be __ risking hearsay and opinion statements ex secured by officers, working mpaira,. who cepts -iyhen such statements are-competent pace a car a suffirient distance to establish as admissions and die officers have been the speed accurately; by .tiie. use' of 'stop properly qualified to give opinions as ex watches through measured, dfeeks; and tjr perts. A straight-forward manner, of testi- , tiie use of tiie automatic speed check. The tying, in a .voice, that can be dearly heard, use of stop watches hi'the hands of.com carries weight and conviction, of should we petent and experienced officers over a suf say convictions 1 ha this connection the im ficient measured ..distance to estaUishthc portance of requiring all witnesses'to testify speed is satisfactory evidence and particur in a manner that can be heanLnot;only by larlyso where .tiie measured^cfistance is. die court but by others in the courtroom intentionally leugthened~by two orthree should be stressed The officers should be feet or a leeway or margin of a few miles instructed, particularly in connection with - over .the limit is allowed -before offenders tiie statements of defendants and the malting are arrested. .Stop watch tuning bfapeedesrs of condition tests, to advise the defendants based, on speed.checks of 110 feet but of tiie voluntary natureof such statements actually 113 feet In length, have pnmfc as peed .earn* i safjr.the riSeur eels. three, joules aiders seddrs t bat woven ..Street and:Highway Traffic Section 19 V. highly effective in KahsasGty and are police, officers-to exercise theirown discre^ gene^dly conndered by the photic- to be tion in determining at the scene the gmlty accurate.' White lines'are painted on the party and leaving it to: toe -officer to- make pavement at many Intersections throngbout the . charges. The- arrest. of both- or all the city; indicating^the measured distance. drivers involved with careless driving, cou Motorcycle officers, working in pairs, take pled with a thorough investigating and re positions where both markings are clearly porting of all accidents, materially reduces visible; One officerwitha stop watch times toe percentage of convictioiis on such charge. motorists who appear to . be drivxngex- However, from the standpoint of getting ade cessiyely and with the knowledgeacquired quate evidence .toe practice wouldappear to fromcharts previously studied,,is able imhie- be preferable so that all of such parties will diattiy to signal his paitoer to go after be'toqtdnd to be.urconrt aid. tons bettor him. The exact spepdcan tfan.becoin-, enable the - court to deadethe question of . pmed from tiie ciarti a snmmons issuedand responsibility. Under the other methodpar- the officers continue their checking. While tiri notcharged could, of mn^ beboolced - the checks areusuallyplaced at intersections as.witnesses. However, ail too oltenjdBcns tiKgeherrirpra<cemK^ to at toe scene who lave not.themselves - wit not chaige the driver with feeding unless nessed the violation or collision and have he is exreedingtbe street speed limit, al~ not hadthe benefit of toe testimony^ of all thoughthe intersection speed limit nay .be of witnesses, do chargeVtiie ,wrdng*party lower. The many obvious; pavement speed who! must be; discharged in court Fre- check signs; also; act .some' deterrent to quently there is other no provision for re- speeding; and; their-', obviousness counteracts .qniring witnesses to appearor they arte not some of thecritkism that the dto^^is a'x- hoofad to appear..in.court .as witnesses and trap.' the 'court, is deprived of. their, evidence. \ 1 Pohapstte-most-accurate nfctfiod, how- In Kansas Gty toe practice for a number ever,that has been devised to secure ade- of years has been to book all drivers in qnate evidence of speeding is the use of an volved in an .accident and charge all with automatic speed check machine. .By the use of tius hutobine the'hmian eIeiDHt 'is .en> tirdy eliminated. The mechanism is started and "stopped !by the fmitlwheds of toe al careless driving unless it is''-.trerjr :^dmriy and obviously a case where de but of one driver. In this, eyent the otherdrivers are. booked as material witndses:; As a result, leged .offender's car posting. over .two small in practically every cpllisina ,accident in rubber tabes laid across tire street. The which any drivers are chargedwith carriess. officers!need toddy place the- tubes across driving! all are so ckuged and tins officers the street at the distance maria or signs, . donot attempt to determine tim respbainbiti^r. open_toe mechamsmof this machine for but leave that entirely to the court. timing.and then observe that no vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction or . From myrdatfvelyshort experience as that anovertaldng vehicle interferes with judge of a traffic tonrt Ipersonally believe the timing Of the particularvehicle, toe speed tins is toe best practice. It does not entail ofwfakbis being determined. The weight any- great hardship on drivers because nor of the car passing ovdv the tubes starts mally in most instances they all want to be and stops the timing apparatus mid the very in-court wbenthecase is heard becutse of minute, dday in the starting is exactly coun- . other interests growing oot of the accident. terbalahced. by the dday in the. stopping of In additiou^toe desire of the nonnal' driver the apparatus. is; toixNptafficatcd ofanydarge: of care- qaite often toe desire to see Either method of mechanical timing of that the otheripartyupunished. speeders/tiy stop watch or automatic speed check machine would accordtogly appear to be preferable to padngbecanseit largely eliminates the human-dement ' In connection with" charges: of careless drivmg, .the proper investigation andreport of..toe police department officcrsas to thephysical facts are again ofthegreatest im Some tides require the arrest and charge, portance. The nathes of all witnesses should in cases of traffic coltinons, of ;aU drivers-, be secured- and a sufficientnumber bf.them of cars involved. Other tides .indritet their required to appear to prment a complete - V- 20 30th National Safety Congress picture of what actually happened. Impartial bility in the hands of competent and ex witnesses unacquainted with any of the perienced officers cannot be seriously doubted parties involved in an accident, and required by anyone familiar with its 'operation. by the police officers to appear, can definitely be relied upon to give the most accurate facts. The use of the breath in connection with this test would appear to be preferable and more widely used than the use of the blood Thq vehicular accident report prepared by the investigating officers and at least sub stantially in the form recommended by the National Safety Council, containing all the' qr other body content The use of both the preliminary and the laboratory test con firm its accuracy in each case, and the use of the test in conjunction with the officer's material details places the evidence in per intoxication report and the 'testimony' of the ` manent and usable condition. Pictures should.: officers as-expert witnesses, together with be taken of the vehicles involved, preferably the -testimony of any impartial witnesses in the positions in which they stop; and present a fairly adequate amount of reliable also showing the places of contact. Street evidence. It is important, of coyrse, that or intersection diagrams should be prepared, the testimony of more than one qMcert)when showing the direction and location of the cars at the time of the impact and the course of the cars following the impact until they come tq rest, with measurements show ing the dimensions of the streets and inter^section and the distance traversed by the cars after the impact, the distance of skid marks, the range of visibility and all other material physical factors. An intersection table with miniature cars has been found to be particularly helpful. It is obvious that the use of such table and cars can be of material aid in clarifying and reconcilingthe testimony of defendants and witnesses. available, be presented. A drunkometer test cird record giving the name of the person tested, the time of the arrest and of the taking of .the test, the results of the preliminary and laboratory tests, and the uames of the officers and laboratoryvtechnidan or chemist making the test; is a safeguard against error, keeps the evidence in available permanent form and usually obviates the necessity of having the laboratory technician testify./Gf course, if legal objection is made he (should be sum moned. In connection with the charge *of driving The use of the decelerometer and other under the influence of liquor, an intoxfcfi- '' mechanical devices are of material aid in tion report filled out by-the officers at the getting adequate evidence as to had brakes. time7oF'1he_arrest, giving a detailed report of tHe defendants condition, his voluntary aetiqRsr^ma'reactions to physical tests, and his statements in response to questions, is the first and a particularly important step in securing adequate evidence. This should f be followed up by giving the defendant the dninkotneter test which, it is my under standing, some state laws sanction. A charge oi leaving tire scene of an acci dent quite often necessitates the use of scien tific crane detection methods, involving lab oratory analysis and chemical research. Drivers have been traced and brought into arart to face charges of leaving tire scene of an accident and their identity and guilt conclusively established by. such scientific , research involving a great amount of care While there are conflicting views as to ful and painstaking work and effort cm the /the accuracy of the drunkometer, its relia part of trained officers. Appropriate Penalties in Certain Traffic Cases By RUVIAN D. HENDRICK Cify Judge, Shryveport, La. We, who are in public life and hold a pub lic position; hold a place of public trust and orir'position can be one of honor or it~ean be one without respect, in accordance with the manner in which we conduct-ourselves in private and public life. We have placed upon our shoulders, more than any other political office, a more serious responsibility, as in our i exabted with ; and blood h the cone use leer's . tfthe with tesses ; liable that when String ne of t, the atory i and g die s the i and g die ttr M >) other lid in ices. acdsdent labearch. t into scene guilt entific. carem the res m i upon ilitkal in our Street and Highway Traffic Section 21 hands day after day are the liberties of those the fitle, thereby creating a hardship , upon who might- appear before us, and we have innocent children and his wife. Then the < ' placed in our charge-the duty of seeing that court tries humane methods in prder to im each receives a fair trial. press upon the accused the importance of I realize I am . dealing with a subject of utmost importance; one that is of grave con cern to our courts, our law enforcing offi . obeying our traffic laws and yet not let the accused go free. Some of the methods which have been advanced by various judges are: cials, and especially to the traffic court judges who are sincere in their efforts to meet die ever-growing traffic problem in First, that , the accused serve his time in jail: during off-days from work, or pay a part of his fine on each pay day. Second,if such a manner gs to keep our traffic viola tions at a minimum, and at die . same time meet die offender , with a sentence that is in keeping with the gravity of the offense and the person is young, the judge, might find that, it would be more punishment to take away the family car from him for a certain length, of time. Usually, if he is fined the alio in keeping add) die individual offender's position al to impress upon him or them the respect of the law and its obedience, without bring too lenient or too harsh. father will pay the fine arid the boy will not receive the benefit of * lesson in obedience and respect for dur traffic regulations. Third, sometimes the judge wilt find that the sur .. This'question is one that can be discussed render of. the driver's license for a certain from several angles, according to die various length of time set by the court" Fourth, by legal set-ups based on the various states and ; education. Many of our traffic laws are vio- municipalities. After all, die question is one;." htted and many accidents are brought about under the present conditions, that is left up through, ignorance of how to drive; as well to the ability and experience of the judges. as. through ignorance of the laws. Many judges have found that by having traffic I will attempt to discuss the subject before classes taught under the supervision of a us from two different viewpoints; first, from well informed traffic officer, and the sttpdr- ; the point of view of extra-judicial penalties vision of the court for a length of time, much imposed by the court benefit resulted in the reduction of traffic 't'jf All traffic laws as well as criminal laws procedure was used extensively. provide a penalty for their violation which usually ranges from a minimum to a maxi mum .sentence which may provide for just a fine; or a fine or Imprisonment, or both, at die discretion of the court But in dealing with traffic violations, we judges and those ^interested in die prosecution realize that at tunes die penalty provided for in die law does not meet with the situation and the best way to impress the defendant is to use some other means of punishment I am speaking, of course; of infractions in our minor traffic laws. In order to reach this sttaatioh, a There are a number of ways in which con ditions of this nature can be met and are being met, hot after all, the questions rests entirely upon the ability and experience mid the sincerity of . the trial judge as to his efforts to reduce traffic violations .and' acci dents. These extra-judicial efforts on the part of the various judges are used to im press the guilty perlon with what it means to disobey traffic laws, and yet to avoid sus pended sentences or permitting the individual to go free without any sentence whatsoever. number of judges throughout the country A traffic court judge can be of assistance have resorted to extra-judicial means. to tiie law enforcement officials and to the general public, if he will only keep a careful Some Extra-Judicial Practice* watch upon foe effect on the public as re For instance, a person found guilty of vio lating a pertain traffic law is discovered-by the judge to earn a very small salary and to have a wife and several children dependent upon him, and that if the accused ,is given a gards the reduction of the viplations and try * to impose the type of sentence that will haWri1;-V. its effect; and. at the same time not to try td j, 1 J be sejttfeon one and" lenient for the same land o^targeqn another. fine as provided for in the statute violated, When I became Judge of (he Gty Court he will necessarily be forced to spend the of Shreveport, my predecessor had set a time in jail or lose his job in taking care of precedence of grading a person charged with ft* fi*< I f ff.fi fi' fi ff 9 fi. ITS ff Q.*fi Q.a UB-fr.sg 22 30th NationalSafety Congress running a stopsign in accordance with the speed or the hazard which the person cre ated, and would fine diem from $1.00 usually to a maximum of $5.00. It was my desire to try to continue his policy, but it was not long until I discovered that there was no material reductions in the number of charges fbrsuch offenses. I began to investigate die matter. On one occasion I had a gentleman tell me that he was riding in a taxi cab add the cab driver ran a stop sign. He called the atten tion to the driver and the driver replied, "Oh, well, I would only be .fined a dollar if I were caught, but we don't usually get caught one time in a hundred." I raised the fine to a minimum of $5.00 regardless of how. fast die sign was ran, where no accidents - occurred. Since then I lave noticed a ma terial redaction in these violations. Now let os take die more serious traffic laws. For instance, the question of driving automobiles while under die influence of in toxicating liqudr. From my experience in traffic court work over a period of 16 years, I have come to die conclusion that the only way this question can be properly handled, is by setting a minimum sentence for all per sons regardless of their station in life and sticking to. it I have set as my rnmumnn sentence $100 and 30 days in jail, which' has met the situation and seems to be having its effect because it is uniformly known that.tfais is what they will get regardless of who they may be and no political pressure will deviate die judge from this sentencicy lt bas made it much easier on'the cburt'hecause people are unable to try to persuade the court from giving a jail sentence becanseanother person was not given a sentence for the same crime. I am a firm believer in meting out sen tences to' everyone who violates this land of law, for the reason that it .is a voluntary proposition in that a person knows when be drinks intoxicating liquors what effect it will have upon hismental capacity. i If a judge should give one person a senfence of only a fine atad die next person will receive a fine and jail sentence for. the same thing, then he is subject to criticism. By treating all alike he brings a firm realisation to those would-be offenders dot they had' better not get . behind the wheel mobile while drinking. All penalties should be given ikjMping with foe. type of law violated in accordance. with die gravity of the importance of the particular law soaght to be enforced. The court will find it is much easier to handle really serious traffic violations m a uniform manner. After all, die court most be as con sistent as possible if he. is to be of help to die law enforcement, officials in their dudes and at die same tone protect die general pub lic and do his duty as a judge. 3 3. K' S. S 3.K 8 2. 8 fl TUESDAY MORNING SESSION October 7,1941 Group Session of City and State Police Presiding: E. Jack Erwin, Director, Police Education, University of Toledo, Ohio, and Chairman, Committee of City and State Police, Street and Highway Traffic Sectkm, NSC. ' ' ", W' Police Traffic Control and National Defense By CAPTAIN C. R. WEAVER General Staff, War-Department, Washington, D. C, Long-familiar causative factors are behind today's traffic problems and accomplishment of effective control still hinges upon foe application of sound techniques of proved effectiveness. The emergency has aggravated the problem because it has been attended fay increased travel, a decrease in public interest in such domestic problems, and-some diver sion of official attention. Street and . Traffic Section 23 Today.good control is desirable for rea-" great, extent, and often in accordance with sons other than redaction of suffering and priorities and. schedules. ~ .. . loss doe to acddentsand ooqgesdoo; It has becomeavital dement nf national driers**. From a. brood point of view, we cannot tol erate, at altime when conservation , ahd^effi ciency ;are at a premium, the waste df man power*goods, and time attributable to ineffi- 7.The primary purpose of confatot-in a combat zone. Is prevention of congestion. Acute congestion is, moreover, aixmch greater, possibility andhas for more serious consequences dan is true of civil traffic. dent traffic.- More specifically, traffic con-. . & Military . traffic often moves :tmder trol bean a definite relationship to industrial blackout conditions. production, which is so dependent on good To devise traffic control competent to deal highwa^ transportatipn facilities. with tofa situating , toe ;Aoiy ..must apply The most critically important relationship civil, control techniques--some in modffidl of traffic control, to national defense how form--and must also develop some new ever, is inxespect to militaryoperations. Ex techniques and equipment to meet its peculiar tensive motorization is a dominant feature of problems. To this end we have been engaged oar anqjr.. Of grratimportanceis the devel in a broad program of research, field tests, opment of tedmiqnes of traffic control assur and other developmental work. In addition, had ing maximum freedom .-from accidents and we are moving forward in other important cnogedon ca roadnets hi a theater of opera- respects, such as training of traffic control tioas.Without das, the-potential mobiiify'of personnel. As a reside we^hope to have a motorised force cannot be-realised. . . methods of traffic controlf ^ wni in their Wat happens when traffic control fails has been demonstrated in Edropc during this war. The major examplc is die experience execution, which will provwcLtoeefficiency of traffic management necessary to military success. in France in die Spring of 1940. Roads were ' This aspect of traffic control , is not, of so dogged with military and civilian refugee course, one of cfirect concern to toe policy. traffic that effective use by troops was im It ha% however, certain important replica possible. tions to yon. One of toese is the dose cocdl- lary importance of good -aril traffic control Baric Differences in Military Traffic week. Reference has already been made to some of die. chaotic traffic .conditions ip Military traffic control, especially in the combat tope d a theater of operations, en counters all theproblems with which you France at. the tone of the Gorman advance. A basic weakness'was toe almost universal failure of dvil authorities to control traffic. aiefamilar. It is further complicated by Emergency traffic control cannot be devel other fodora--largefy fordgn to civil traffic oped and applied qmddr enough jafter an control experience aririofffrom the nature emergency develops. .Neither can such con- and objecdm iff mflitary traffic and die en trol be applied successfully if there has not vironment in which it operates. Most imr long existed a good, baric system of efficient portant of these are: traffic management Thus one of toe impor L Alt military traffic has a vital purpose vdihli aiust be frifilkd.:, 2. Theprimaxy objective of traffic control is furtherance of die tactical mission. tant steps to he taken in anticipation of potstole military' traffic control requiremcntsjs,. to continue^ if not to -.accelerate^ progress', .""x toward maximum effectiveness in general' street and highway traffic control. In other, 3. IfiBuy traffic is subject to Pudden, wordst toe emergency, does not alter bar vwlentmterruption doeto destruction of bask, requirements. Accident prevention and ' '<* ?-r*ff..V ..f roads jmd bridge* congestion relief activities must be.intehrified 4. Traffic plans.an subject to change to conform with/daagthg tactical plans. . as .ah' essential element of defense, ratber than slacked off. as of relatively lesser im portance than in norinaltimes. . 5. Traffic often operates'over inferior and - Another more specific natter is toe rela . .-T unfamiliar reads. tionship of ctvfl authorities* traffic control 6. Solitary traffic moves in cohamis to a work to current militaiy preparedness opera- 24 30th Notional Safety Congress fM c . 2 * 2 .8 " X B 5* & & T 8 Q a 9 8 fk fl e l s t s8 tions. The rapid expansion of the army has necessitated a vast training program and has also, of course, greatly increased all adminis trative activities. This in turn involves opera tions of a character and scope which most be well-coordinated with normal civilian activities in the interests of both. Because of the extent of mobilization of the army, these operations have a particular import to those concerned with highway traffic control. demonstrates that hazard, congestion, and traffic disruption needT not attend them. It is not always possible for either civil or mili tary authorities' to anticipate and provide for every traffic problem encountered- Such cases are^ however, rare and becoming more so every day. Much of the credit for this progress properly goes to the civil police and traffic engineers who have cooperated so folly with the army. . Naturally, as the volume of such military Army Wants- to Avoid Disnqitfog Traffic traffic increases, its effective handling win Routine motor marches, and training rang ing from tactical exercises of small emits to demand more and better planning, and more control wotfe This is an-important defense responsibility of civil as well as military traf army maneuvers involving several hundred thousand men and thousands of motor ve hicles, present traffic control requirements of great magnitude and importance. The army recognizes the importance of avoiding un fic authorities. Its discharge adds ninr bur dens, but these can be kept at a minimum by organising the job in such a .maimer that duplication-.of work and harried arrange ments are largely unnecessary. Some cities necessary disruption of'civilian'traffic.and and 'States, for example, lave developed the fact that such interruption- need seldom "master plans," have assembled and filed occur. Good planning and execution of traf pertinent data, and have marked routes so fic control tinder sudi conditions will serve that almost any conceivable situation can be the best interests of both-the army and civilian traffic. Of course, the character of expeditiously met by execution of the proper - control plan. the large scale maneuvers required for proper training of troops will sometimes require that certain roadnets be temporarily taken Principles of "Disaster Plans?* over by the army. Otherwise, it is content- plated that military traffic will usually be in In addition to such current operational ac tegrated as smoothly as possible with civil tivities, civil traffic authorities have a specific traffic. Routine column movements do not planning responsibility with reference to require priority of road use, authority to dis emergency or "disaster" plans. Transporta regard traffic regulations, and high speed. . tion is obviously an important dement of Such methods of operation do not only un such plans as are now being drafted by local. necessarily disrupt civilian traffic, but, from authorities throughout the country. Traffic the army's point of view, involves such has- . control techniques must therefore reedve the ards and are so hard oh personnel and equip same detailed attention that. is accorded ment that they are undesirable. other dements of the general plan. Became Good handling of such military traffic is best accomplished by careful advance plan-' ning in which every effort is made to avoid conflicts by proper scheduling and .routing. of the difficulties of control wider, the coodi- tiqns which would require execution of soch plans, traffic cpntro! planning must be as thorough, and as realistic as poufble. It should be predicated upon local analysis of Escort and traffic regulation personnel are probable requirements. While the precise also essential, of course, but the extent of ' plan in each community or ara will neces such requirements and the difficulty of this sarily vary with local conditions, .certain work can be greatly decreased by good general principles are universally applicable. planning. Most important of these are: To facilitate this work, the national ihd state' highway traffic advisory committees were created. This plan greatiy increases co ordination between civil and military au L Coordination among the several juris dictions. and traffic control agencies con cerned. thorities and expedites the malting of ar 2. Provision of properly adapted equip rangements. The success with which many ment in terms of control devices, transporta motor marches have been conducted recently tion, and communications. and It is milimde Such more this * and folly Staiy will inge, cities loped filed a so in be roper 0.1 il acedfic e to oirtant of Ideal. 'raffic the anted odisadi te as e. It lis of reetse srtain cable. joriscon- squip?orta- Street and, Highway Traffic Section 25 3. -Thorough training of personnel charged with control duties. 4. Development of plans possessing the simplicity and flexibility necessary to then- successful execution under difficult; and rap idly changing conditions; Every, community and state should, as many do, have such plans to meet emergenties encountered in normal times. Discussion of Police Traffic Control By CAPT. M. A. SKBA \ Police Department; NnrvSfc City - Oar maui tppfc here is traffic movement be utilized ! provide for this increase. This and control. Traffic movement suggests ve hicles mid pedestrians. The population of New York City is 7,400,000 with a transient population of 2^)00,000 people each day. It traffic movement; situation priesnts. many diffi cult' conditions. The. Police Commissioner believes that these can he solved in time by cooperation of all conceroed if the problem has 1,000,000 motor vthkics registered in - is approached with understanding and pa New York City. This in addition to the tience. Yon may appreciate tiie. problem in number of horsesdrawnvehicles. which are New York Gty when you realize that some used around the. Axles in the'slow moving of tiie streets:were laid out .300 years`ago. transportation of merchandise. In .1940, 1,- . Ii some instances, they are only about 15 feet 800,000 buses entered the aty. We have 12- .wide. -This safneonditiou exists in many of 000 taxicahs, a great-number of franchise die older cities ofthe country. buses dad amaetoas. trolley cars moving along,otu highway*. The movement-of this vehtenl2r. traffic is done in a expeditions mid efficient manner with the greatest degree, of safety. In. any city where thereare a large number of vehicles using the highways, there may be . a tendency at times towards con gestion of traffic. This in Itself is an unsafe condition. Congestion or confusion most not happen in large cities, particularly at this We are very gratefol for the help mid cooperation given by tiie average driver but we cannot say this about tiie pedestrian. While, it is most difficult; we; appreciate that its solution.must come throhgfc/thepedestrian himself, Unless the pedestrian takes tins situation seriously, we shall continue fo live in the Age of Three Hundred Years Ago. Every pedestrian and every vehicle it an time, when the safe movement of vehicles is so necessary in the. National Defense set-up. While a great improvement has been made individual problem and must be treated as such. Each must be kept under control; and must be kept moving safely. in this, field inthe past, much more remains .Ihufag your own experience and observa to be accomplished. Perhaps the greatest tion, have you noticed in how similar a man single need, if our gains are to be sustained ner all traffic policemen work? This simi arid continued, is tbe need for more courtesy larity of action is writ planned and I think and the spirit of friendship on the*part of persons uting otir streets. A great ted has been said about enforcement There are two schools of enforcement; one school reborn* that we can take pride in the fact tbat traffic in the Gty of New York moves with^such orderiy procedure and In such a safe manner because of planned initructions and coordina mends strict laws rigidly enforced. We find ted action. this not altogether advisable for the Gty of. New York The Police Commissioner has adopted the attitude of sensible laws, reason* ably enforced,. Sind advocating the principle that the .reduction of'accidents. is primarily a question of education. Let me for just a moment take Captain Weaver's place and say,,"that this movement of traffic is not done in a hit-and-miss fash ion; time Is nothing haphazard about this regulation and control." We have centralized control because the Police Cbnumsaoner Our traffic rituationgetsmore difficult makes the fegnlations for the "regulation, The number of automobiles increase yearly . protection, control and restriction of vehicu and the limited space on our highways must lar and pedestrian traffic." V-fijCr*- #5** W'JPCtfpi S- 26 J0fh National Safety Congress In any large city, the police functions must be. distributed. Our traffic regulations are controlled by the Traffic Division. This Di vision is commanded by an Assistant Chief Inspector under the supervision of the Chief Inspector, and is composed of some 2,000 foot men, 350 motorcycle men, and 360 mounted men until horses. -. There has been established daring these' tones, a Board of Disaster Control. The Police Commissioner is in direct command. Provisions have been made for the use of emergency vehicles and their equipment, the employment and training of air raid and fire wardens. York City. This set-up is to assure free and unhampered movements of sqch.military convoys. At the ' present time motorcycle escorts are assigned to these convoys. An area extending to within a radius of &m3es from New York City has been -laid out in map and chart form. Towns outride tbe dty are set up to contact pomti with the Centra! Contact Point in the Bureau of Operations at Police Headquarters m'New York Gty. A Transport Committee has been established, comprised of members from , the . States of New Jeritey, Gocnecticut, and New Yori^ together with the Port Authority, of New York. To! meet any condition tint might ar^^Ms. Committee has made plans for: The dtyTS^djvided into precincts, the pre cincts h^ve beta divided into zones, each zone comprising a population of 50,000 rest-, dents. A zone Is divided into sectors with 5,000 residents for each sector; and a sector t>~Eqiergtncy control of primary food dis tribution; \N 2. Selection and signing of a secondary highway network; is divided Into posts wherein 50 people live; 3. Regional control of motor trade routing; there are-four wardens assigned for each post. There is one warden to each sector, and one chief warden to each zone. Each 4. Civilian evacuation.of the metropolitan district precinct is a unit of operation with police We have developed reasonable plans in stations as the headquarters, and the Captain case of emagepqr and fame created a condi of the Precinct in command of the unit tion of understanding between tbeVbffitids There has been established a system wherein and the peopleuoftwr^rmimuniiles. We have i : the Superintendent of State Police, is the kept tiie people^dn^djfofr plans through Chief liaison Officer for the State of New the press and the radio^Se*eral police lira- York. He assists in the military movements tenants have been assigned to give lectures outride of tiie city and in military movements to groups on the many pfaases-of tins plan into and out of New York State. The Chief for civilian defense. We fed certain that our Inspector is the'Sub-liaison Officer for New plans will work in any emergency. Well Tell You--A Panel Discussion Answers to Practical Enforcement Questions Leader: H. W. Johnson, Superintendent, Traffic and Safety Division, Police Department, Kansas Gty, Mo. Participants: Cast. G Reynolds Weaves, Capt. M. A. Shea, and Vhben A. Rmtaots, Gty Traffic Engineer, Richmond, Va. (Following is a summary of the discussion^ as reported by an observer.) to ) . Question: As a means for controlling speed, systerp probably should not be used very ex of civilian traffic when entering town, has any satisfactory method of convoying such traffic been developed? Answer--la. California; civilians are con voyed over tiie Bay Bridge, with no car al tensively for civilian traffic, because of tiie need for careful training of thosedrhingin convoys. There are too many dances for accordian action and rear end collisions. lowed to pass tiie state car- which leads the Question: How u careless driving handled convoy. Capt Weaver said that the convoy in Kansas Gty? Street cmd Highway Traffic Section 27 4swr-^tq>erintendent Johnsonsaid that ing to a per cent rather than a definite value there is aspecial careless driving regulation and in Philadelphia die value is.10 per cent 'which u: hot' as .severe as die ureal reckless of the. speed limit In Cleveland the.average driving: law idudm^iiiret wflfull and wan- arrest speed for 20-mile zones is 40.4 m.pJi.; tondiaregardof safety. Such a regulation in TS-rctile. zones.it is 43.6 m.pJi, and 35-mfle permits control of earless driving, especially zones it is 4816 m.ph. Mr. Kittgers summar in cases of aeddetrts, when the arrest cannot ized. die discussion by printing out die need be made for a more definite violation. . for more reasonable, speed, limits, with care Question: How about the use of warnings? ful speed zoning and tolerances, set only to take into consideration accuracy mid. unusual Answer--They are not. used in many conditions. places, and hi others, are.used for parking only. In Wichita, the word "request?' is used in place of "warning" on the card so as to. Question: Should officers In plain clothes he used for enforcing traffic .regulations? encourage vohmtaiy cooperation a second Answer--In Milwaukee uniformed men In time- Ctae difficulty with warnings is thatmost plain cars supplement the work of other places are notable to keep proper records so . officers. Uniformed men are.needed to avoid that those with more than one warning can a bad reaction of .the public.' Superintendent be followed op oh: r Johnson/sa^d that in Kansas City die only Question: Has die Army done anything ' time plaioidothes men are used in traffic en- about contrrilihg pairing along military 'forcement.is iri`tbe vicinity-of high schools' routes? . . where there is a problem that cannot be han Answer1 Captain Weaver said that in some places pariring has been prohibited oir limited Where there is need for more traffic capacity. Ur. Kittgers 'said dot. die prob able demand for Army convoy movements has enabled'Bkbmood to change dome angle pariring to parallel pariring so as to proride increased capacity. dled by rib^r-meais. The general practice . should be W.use uniformed officers in. traffic law enforcement although there should be some arrangements whereby plain clothes men can. apptdiend violators. Captyjfceyuolds said that plain clothes met* 3rari<-be; assped to traffic wotk only in placfa where/ there have been many complaints amMtJn not been possible to handle die- problem in Question: Should drivers involved in an another manner. An officer for' Cleveland accident be given.* ticket for a speed in ex said that die Ohio law prohibits use of plain cess of the Emit, if ordinarily the driver clothes men in traffic law enforcement except could have operated at that speed without in .chartered rides. Eghtper cent of die ar bring arrested? rests for the month of September in Cleve Answer--in accident ones, it is preferable to hold to the numerical lintit, although a greater-tolerance may be given in cases not involving accidents. In Evanston, for ex ample, no tolerance at all is allowed in case of accident, bat 10 miles is allowed for ordinaty speeding cases. Question: What tolerances should be al lowed? land were actually made fay units other than acxident investigation, prevention, or patrol. In ' Pennsylvania, a state law requires that officers'!* ut uniform before making arrests for traffic violations. Mr. Johnson of Denver pointed out that tolerance in speed enforce ment depends upon type of area, and men tioned that they have plain clothes men in plain cars making arrests for . traffic vio lations. ^urevr--Superintendent Johnson said that in Kansas Otar the tolerance allowed depends upon the current accident record--at die present time stx tmles an hour is allowed, but this migfat be increased or decreased de pending upon die local situation. Answers given by persons in die audience wfcre as fol lows: Decatur--S m.ph to 10 mpJi.---give waning, above lOtnah, arrest for speeding. Phikdriphia--tolenmce shonld Be set accord Question; How aboutdte speed traps oper ated in Kansas Gfy? wfiumerr-Superintendent;Johnson said that th^re are no speed traps in Kansas .City, hut there are. 690 conspicuously marked speed check zones where motorists know. that thrir speed may be checked by an officer, either fay means of a stop watch or an electrical timing device. These speed... checks have definitely 28 30th National Safety Congress aided in the control of excessive speed at dan Answer---K representative of the Automo- gerous locations in Kansas City. The rones ' bile Chib of Michigan said that Auto Clubs are located in accordance with the accident do not like speed traps but that this type of record. Twenty-seven stop watches are now speed check pregram is all right when prop used, and many of the rones are placed at erly administered. locations where citizens have complained of excessive speeds there. . Question: How about arresting pedes trians? Fort Wayne reported the use of speed check zones, similar to the system in Kansas Gty and GncumatL They have been able to control speed at locations where it was not possible to do so before. It has been good from the standpoint of public relations. The zones are marked with white fines, mainly at intersections. A man from Cincinnati re Answer--In Cleveland, we warned 700,000 pedestrians last year and made 1,870 arrests for' jay-walking. Our present ordinances have been ineffective, so a new ordinance has been passed which went into effect in July. This will provide for more definite control df pedestrians between intersections. ported that their system was very similar, and that they used 24 stop watches in this work. One difficulty to be avoided is that officers sometimes start checking in other lo cations, and it is necessary to' make definite assignments as to times and places. Denver also reported this system, with only two in ' Question: How.can injuries be stopped in' school zones? . Answer--in Oakland, Calif., we have done it through use of school safety patrols, prop erly marking the zones, and giving some police supervision to aid the patrol boys.V.^ " every 1,000 arrested going to court The re . Question: How about speed tolerance? mainder paid their fines. To aid in public re lations, each offender is given the opportunity to look at the equipment and to operate it Answer--In Houston, we have established special speed limits through zoning author ity, and 5 miles an hour tolerance is allowed Question: How about reaction of Automo for accuracy only, to take care of errors in bile Clubs to these speed checks? pacing in speedometers. TUESDAY MORNING SESSION October 7,1941 . Group Session on Public Education and Safety Organizations Presiding:--Cael J. Rutland, President, Texas Safety Association, Inc, Dallas, Texas, and Chairman, Committee on Public Education, and Community Organization, Street & Highway Traffic Section, NSG Applying Selective Education to Special Groups By CHARLOTTE CARR Resident Director, Hull Houses Chicago (Editorial Note: The following is a sum mary of Miss Can's talk, made, up from notes taken by an observer, with the approval of Miss Carr.) Miss Carr said that while die has not par ticipated extensively in the-field of traffic safety education she has seen some practical examples of the influence and handicaps J under which work of that kind must be done among, areas like the Hull House area of .Chicago^ She said that probably every city has its area with similar problems and that she hoped that lessons drawn from die Hull House area would assist those interested in traffic safety education throughout the coun try in paving the way for such educational 'r.x.&ub. Street and Highway Traffic. Section , .-29 prpgrains and planning their work in ac conditions and application of the instinct of cordance. self preservation. The population of this district represents The mothers of the neighborhood have, in many races, creeds, and walla of life. Here defense of 'the community, formed a "stop are many sordid streets, crowded thorough ' light mothers' dub" to make vigorous re fares, street cars, running childretvmen quests before the city authorities for. signals asleep on newspapers, and; bed clothing and signs at dangerous intersections. With hanging from railings and. tire escapes. little aid from the outside, they have studied Housing is poor, traffic is heavy, .and incomes ' the local accident problems and.have done are generally low. ; much to educate themselves in the require Conditions in the neighborhood force the children to accept the streets as playgrounds. Corner lots, and alleys can seldon be used as places to play because they are usually.too ments of traffic safety. This same, group has tried to improve conditions by clearing vacant lots in which children can play instead of having to play in the streets. - rough and often strewn with refuse. Almost the last play lot -in the community was re cently taken over-for erection of an industrial plant. Facilities are badly needed for recrea tion oft from the streets. Considerable prog~ress most be made in providing such facilities _and. in attacking some of the social and economic conditions before , much progress can^be made with safety education in that: and similar communities. - Arrangements have been made for the safety of children, going to and from schools through cooperation of the mothers and the schools. The schools provide protection within the areas immediately .surrounding tiie buildings by the use of school safety patrols, supervision by teadhers, and safety instruction. To reach fhesq. zones the chil dren must cross many hazardous streets and parents take the responsibility - for seeing The people of Hall House district are conscions of traffic dangers because their neigh borhood is infested with hazardous condi tions. They have been, required to make safetya part of their daily routine just as that they are escorted safely to. the areas protected by the schools. Parents greatly appreciate tiffs because' they feel confident ..that the children are not in great, danger when they are provided such protection. ary person is required to apply the brakes in stopping an. automobile. However, in spite of then- safety consciousness they do not recerv$4lie official attention that is neces sary to/make the hazardous locations safe. Miss Carr said that the neighborhood folks had made the first move, toward traffic safety in the Hull -House district She said that the city should follow by dearing the alleys, filling boles in sidewalks and 'streets, and Miss Carr said that decreases in traffic accidents cannot be expected from mere enforcing traffic regulations. " Children must ' have some' places to play and in. the absence preaching of traffic safety. She referred to ' the early days of industrial safety when ac cidents were not effectively reduced by mere ly urging the employees to be safe. It was of playgrounds to supplement the limited number of school lots and vacant properties, alleys are bound to be used by them. Miss Carr abhorred tiie little- time and attention necessary to provide safeguards for the ma chines and to improve working conditions to that is given to these people and the neigh borhoods in which they live, to match their demonstrate the sincerity of the appeal. interests with necessary physical improve ments and safeguards. Miss Carr said that enforcement, is trtadesuate in her area and thatthis prevents the residents from exerting the few rights that they have. Too mudi of the effort in traffic safety is put onto the big and im portant highways and cot enough onto the bade streets where poor pedple-reside. Few look after the interests in tiffs type of neigh borhood or try to stimulate safety, except the She said that any attempt by any one out ride tiffs area . to. instruct its population in traffic safety would be seriously handicapped until such steps are taken. Hie local resi dents would feel that their present knowledge of their own safety and their interest in ac complishing H already excelled tire official efforts in their behalf. residents themselves. Safety around Hull .. Miss Carr said that great respect.by tiie. House has been an ouigrowtir of the local population in .an area See'the HttU House; 30: 30th National Safety Congress /r\ neighborhood would be developed by proper ty education with adequate; sympathy for the enforcement and well directed traffic im- groups that are to be racked and a proper provements. This emphasized the importance understanding of their interests and limitaof approaching the problem of selective safe- tions. Officials' Place in Public Education By HARRY B. NEAL ' The problem of traffic safety has become them bowtouse our safer streets and high in recent years a subject of universal dis ways and how to respond to enforcement cussion, alarm, controversy and recrimina directed ftrivard safer observance of the traf tion. Everyone has his own ideas of what fic rules and regulations. should be done. A great many, fay careful and conscientious driving, are making, their individual contributions to highway safety in an eminently practical manner. Numerous organizations are interested and active in the 1 safety field. Finally, there are determined and serious public servants, including higfr^ Suppose that we consider this problem of automobile accident prevention in a business like way. As I have just pointed out, we can, so to speak, manufacture stf&y tiugugl}. en gineering^ and enforcement Thus,*we nave a product--safety--which we desire'lo sell to the public. Now, selling tins .product is the way and traffic engineers, motor vehicle ad ministrators and enforcement authorities, charged with official. responsibility for tire problem which feces those of ns engaged in the business of traffic accident prevention. safe use of the motor vehicle, doing their We have a good product Bat apparently best to protect life and limb on the highways. it lacks sufficient appeal: it has . not been As will be readily admitted, it is humanly made attractive enough to win some of the impossible to do all at once everything that public's attention. So our selling program needs to be done to prevent accidents. Even must be changed as well as greatly expanded if it were, doing all at once'everything if we are to obtain the desired response front needed to be done would not solve.tbe acd- ' ourimaifcet the. pedestrian and motorist dent problem. For there is need for a con tinuing research and study to discover new and still better methods for dealing with the problems. By keeping abreast of new devd-' No longer may we fed that anything on hand in oar libraries on safety is appropriate for our purpose. `Our safety edocation must be selective and provide informationwhich opments as they take place and by careful bears directly upon the present-day needs of planning so as to avoid remedies based only the motoring and watkiiig-public. Unless on opinions and theories, it is possible to new and .-useful educational methods are afford the people the maximum protection evolved, much of :our safety efforts will be tbathuman ingenuity can devise in the fields wasted. /of traffic engineering, enforcement and education. --N As a traffic engineerrit^as been my experi- This job of originating new and' useful educational methods sbouldnot be as difficult as it may perhaps sound. There are. few ence that the pralic needs to be educated' traffic experts, few law enforcement officers, more In tire benefits that derive from traffic few commissioners of motor, vdtides who engineering and enforcement And to accom cannot say that today they know more about plish this bettor education of the people is their work and how to do it than they did . die daty of us officials, whether state, munici last year. pal or county., For instance, traffic engineering, as I have Through engineering we can make streets observed and learned, can be sold more effec and highways and conditions safer for the tively from the viewpoint of the pUMic than people. Through enforcement we may force from the viewpoint of the traffic engineer. It them to act safer. But, in the long ran, it is is the best stategy for engineering to utilize only through education that we can teach all the facts with an eye to making Improved Street and Highway Traffic.Section . 31 traffic design serve in such a ntismer that need not shy from the nsC of such a word. the people will be burdened with nohly the For these educational efforts cffjaw's are at minimum of regulations which serve to gov bottom propaganda for a vei^^jppMTause-- ern and restrict safety--and to be effective^thgrlhgst have a In thepast, traffic engineering. has often subtlety of thought and jtiftgmeiff^^bihind been administered' much in the fatfrfa" of a - them that will arouse a.responsive reaction dose of medicine. Safety measures, speed . among the people. \Vj . . regulations, etfc, have beenprescribed and the-people ntade to take them whether they liked'it or not. They didn't always like it. ' Yon cannot insult die intelligence of the motorist or pedestrian and tiien wonder why expected results are hot forthcoming, it is So the tenon learned from experience is psychologically inept to tell a motor vehicle that instead of selling traffic, regulations it is operator not to loll himself or someone rise the business of the engineer to sell increased while out driving. For one thing, self-pres transportation facilities, reduced time be ervation stitt remains a strong urge in him: tween businesa and home, greater profiuto, toe merchant and convenience to the shopper. he dees not want to get killed any more by a motor car than by anything else. For In other words, get across the idea how the another thing, the average person is not mur improvement will add to the convenience of . derously inclined, would not deliberately the property owner, the .merchant or the man afoot or' die man behind the wheeL injure anyone. ... - How it will contribute to his pleasure or In .reality motorists do continue getting efficiency. themselvesJcilled and they do continue kill Any educational program, whether it is related totraffic engineering orenforcement, should be carried oat on a selective basi& Therefore; it is necessary that accident in-'1 vestigation be exhaustive and scientific Acci ing other true; but it is became of mis takes cm their part and not because of any outright deliberation. And this, point must not be confused in the preparation of any safety educational material dent facts most be analysed and interpreted by experienced officers and traffic engineers; Then officials will be in a position to know when and where accidents aire occurring, 'their, types and. finally, why they are occurring. What should be aimed at in preparing mar . terial for traffic safety education is the cor- ration of thrir mistakes rather .than the castigation hf toe drivers and'pedestnans as potential murderers, dumb-bells - hr some other, name-calling appellation. This..most be With tins tested data Jn their possession the foundation of the approach to;selling the officials can then determine accurately the public the fact that'in spite ofitssltill and proper remedial action and are in a position experience mote care mid stitt mme care to go before the peopte and explam tbe prob- . pins a' greater: respectfor the hazards of lem; explain what it is planned to do and traffic; are required. - why as well as what it is hoped to accom plish. And their decision can bebacked op by A mistaken notion entertained by the com-, the officials with authoritative statistics. mon citizen is tbat there is no solution for the accident problem, Hus. attitude is, ex-- The'remit of all this is that a hostile atti ' tremely injurious to any safety progress for tude, if present among the public, is more the simple reason that the one. definite often tbannot, changed to a friendly and co requisite, in common to all' successful acci operative spirit when the people learn that, dent"prevention programs is that of getting the remedial'program is-bamd on an.ljonest tiie citizenry to support the officials, to stop and real need for tbebettennent and good of' riiyir finger to assume thrir share thrir state or ctmuttunity. " r. of-toe respoUsttnlify and-tolendtheiraidto Selective ednc&bii,. it must be kept in . theapproyedphuts. ' ... mind, means more titan knowing trialto tril The motbrist and pedestrian are willing to It also means knowing ikotir to tell it learn, provided what is offered is something All. toocommon in. oaredocatiocal efforts worthy of learning. Let what is offered be has been an otter disregard for the psychol &ienffiyandhelpfhl,freefrom overemphasis ogy of propaganda. Yes; propaganda:! We- on ireprand and scare. Itepetithras'vepri- 30 50/A National Safety Congress neighborhood would be developrfhy proper enforcement and well directctf^tiaffic^im- provements. This emphasized --r_ of approaching the problem of $tecthfe..safe- und< txons. , mm aaeQU^-tynipui^.ior tv , fhafcareto, be reached and aproper of their interests .and' limha- Officials' Placein Executive Secretary, Ohio Traffic Safety Council, Cohanbos/Ohio The problem of traffic safety has become in recent yean a subject of universal dis cussion, alarm, controversy and recrimina tion. Everyone has his own ideas of whatshould be done. A great many, by careful and conscientious driving, are individual cootributious. in an eminently organizations are. safety field, Fj^i and serious, way and ministral charge safe t besttt thembow to ase our sahr streets and hithways; and' how to respond to i enforrianent directrdtowardsafer obseryanceoftltraffic roles and regulations. Suppose that;we.-era this-probkm of t Occident:prCTntKinabtiriness%at-X .Ixxwe.f mufarlirrc saf^throogfa ea- l^Sb^^Jsnii-a pfcichwedestreto sdl to .ffiisjprpdoriistbe ^thoeeof ttseogage^in prevention. But apparently >fcJias\jqt';beeniwinsomeoflhe ^srffihg program irently t been *jnoini ii&tiKng^i': locos afford the that lmnian of traffic education. fjfedjicatiqn.nwst 1 toatioawhkh of ijpeMie^ Unless methods -.are| safetyefforti wtillbe As a traffic engineer it yVDmj^ pinapS SOUDOLv- JLfiOnB--;nv ; ence that ffie pnUic needs c name eaperts,few_ lawe^riwtent: officers, I more in tbebenefits that derive from traffic few cornnisiBqners of .^mqpr^-yjdndes|i^ho j engineering and enforcement. And to accom plish this tetter education of ffie people- is their work and how to dcjfiit than the dntyof ns officials, whether state, munici last-year.;v.-* pal or county. Fori instsmee* traffic engineering, as I have I Through engineering we can make streets observedand learned^ cant teroldinoroeffte-1 and highways and. conditions safer for,ffie lively fromthe I people. Through enforcement we. may -force frontthe viewpoint^ I them to act safer. But, in ffie long run, it is is 'ffie-best statcgyjfor-^Tinprffiig'itQftidiBse 1 only through education that we can teadi all; ffie huts with^cyefo^ I r } 32 30th National Safety Congress manding soon sets up a reaction of defiance selected from engineers already in the employ and a scare soon wears off. ' of the Highway Department; have a back It takes time but the procedure to follow is to convince the people 'by a carefully planned program of coordination of educa tion, . engineering" and enforcement`that the ground of experience in highway engineering and, in addition, have been given spedal with tiie State Highway PatroVthey are training in safety worlt Besides cooperating main, objective behind all the activity is to help them get where they are going as ready at all times to. cooperate-with any other officials, county or municipal, in pro quickly as possible without harm to them selves or others. ~~ v moting traffic safety. One. definite form of this cooperation is theAll-Ohio Traffic "Safety Contest among otiesof4/X)Oormore If it is to attain its maximum effectiveness^ population. Thiscontest was initiated .in 1940 this coordination of education, engineering and is being repeated agam this year. and enforcement should impress on the pub lic officials fha while the public takes its The traffic engineer or enforcement official education from them, they in turn should cannot hppe to score a hit every time in acci take education from one another. Since the dent prevention activities. If tae plans for' prime objective of the official, whether in the public safety and traffic efficiency arCflSet engineering or enforcement field, is to give with-indifference Or downright pppositioh, do the best service to the public; cooperation is something about It .'Don't be downhearted essential. The. best public service can-be per- and give up. Individuals, and- organizations formedcooperatively better than individually. can be fraud willing to back any sound pro- granu In our case an Ohio Traffic Safety To effectuate traffic plans devised by the Coimcfl was cheated to work in conjunction engineer they must be understood by the en with the State Department of Highways.' forcing official who is going, to have a large Appointed to membership on the Council are part to do with their success. Both traffic some 100 prominent citizens representing va `engineering and enforcement officials can rious organizations which are vitally inter ' ' most effectively cooperate in the investiga ested in malting Ohio a safer state m which tion of street, vehicle'andl human conditions to live; All members of the Ohio Traffic which contribute to the causation- of acci Safety Council are non-paid and non- dents. ' partisan. For instance, it is with , the investigation- The creation of this Council produced re-' of mass groups of accidents that, the traffic' stilts. Thanks in part to its Committee on engineer can be of most' assistance to en Legislation, Ohio now has a realistic up-toforcement officials. This does not mean date traffic code, which went into effect merely the preparation of the conventional September fi. monthly accident report, important as that is. It also means the nec^Sfffrof breaking down these figures Mto ^iheirjcomponent parts and the investigation of^pedfic loca tions, groups of vehi&^jor^gfoups of indi viduals which seem to be appearing too fre quently in the accident record. Such investi gations are of a statistical and technical na As you know, the public must Iks informed of the necessity for new legislation sr en forcement and favor' it before it can ever tape to be successful.. Many of the best pro grams for traffic safety have met defeat cause the people were hot informed, about what could be accomplished.; . ture and their significance can best be deter mined by trained engineers. ' . Now how can the people be readied to prepare them for new methods of traffic am-. For our part we in Ohio, are engaged in tool? The answer is: by. hsuig every known such an-intelligently-directed and coordinated form of publicity- to achieve: tiiis sometimes /'program of street and highway safety, based colossal task. Enlist the .aid. of the news-, v pn the sound principles of engineering, en- papers. Prepare and distribute material tell forcement and education. The Division of ing of the problem and calling for tbe. sup Traffic and Safety of the State Highway De port of tiie general pnblicin tiie undertaking partment maintains District Traffic and to save lives. Supply speakers for radio Safety Engineers in each of the 12 highway broadcasts, luncheon dubs; parent-teacher divisions throughout the state. These men, groups, churches and other ctric groups. :. V .v- ... fti skt.'Liw''5/ IY Street and Highway Traffic Section 33 Todaywehave more , and better ways of spreading troth and ideas than the world has ever before possessed. ;' -'c , There is no excuse then for the neglect of the public in the matter of its traffic safely education. And it is the doty, of the officials to teach them this safety--and in teaching .it to win the respect of the. people' by the continned study of their needs and by the evolu tion of. engineering and enforcement tech niques to fit the specific requirements of.the situation. TUESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 7, 1941 ams for' t o,do arted tions proafety ctioo ways, il are gyainter- Jrik. non* d re* on ip-toeffect vaned r euever :prot freabont ed to : connowni times KWSI teH.snpaldng radio acher ' ; General Session . Presiding:--Judge Habby H. Poktes, Chief Justice, Municipal Court, Evanstoni llL, and General Chairman, Street & H^way Traffic - Section, NSC - i Report of Committee on Tests far Intoxication. By DON P. STIVER *. .a . Director, Indiana. Dept of Public Safety and Chairman, Committee on Tests for . Introduction ; The Conunhtee on Tests for Intoxication was oigatdzed in 1935 tostndy andprepare recommendations on how to dead widi drivers and pedestrians under the infinenoe of intoxi cating liqhor. Since that time, much prog ress has been made in developing and apply ing methods .for handling drinking drivers.. Therfc are still many parts of the country, however, where there is need for improve^ meat in test methods, court procedure, legis lation and devdopment of public opinion. A year ago the committee presented its fourth progress report This contained '25 recommendations an examining aid question- ^fog.^suspected penons, methods for making chemical tests of blood, urine and breath, needed legislation, and baric requirements in setting up a testing program. During the past year, the committee con tinued its program of education and promo tion of tbtee iecommendationx. It also con centrate upon the following three phase pro gram: ~ '' I I. 1. Promotion of legislation dealing with useofevidenceobtainedUfarough chemicaltestsforintoxicatioii. 2. Development of an administrative pro cedure to aid officialshi establishing a proper, system ri chemical tests for in- - tcndcation. ;f 3. Preparation of a book or manual cover ing aUpbases of scientific tests for in;toxication. . Use of Chemical Tests Growing The use of chemical tests of blood; mine and breath is increasing, according to infor mation compile from reports of cities and states in the 1940 National Traffic Safety Contest Three hundred said three cities over 10,000 population and state officials from 44 states furnished information on these reports. The use of such tests was reported for the first time by Florida,' Nevada, Oklahoma; South Dakota and Washington. The Com mittee Report m 4940 gaveinformation on their use in 27 states--this hrings the total to 32 states wlnch have reported the use of tests for enforcement purposes. Fifty-seven of the 303 cities over 10,000 population reported use. of such tests-during 1940. These cities represent 21 different states. The largest number of cities in any one state usmg the tests was Iowa, with 13 cities, reporting their use. Ohio was second, with 10 cities; Indama-was third, with seven. . Five of the 14 cities over SOO.OOO popula tion reported 'tee of these tests,! following the exampleof Cleveland and Milwaknee, which have been tiring them on a routine tas&'ifor a number iff years.. - :f;./. . State police and patrol officers also' use ) kl'.> ;>*!,w,i-.v- 34 j 30th National Safety Congress^ J chemical tests for enforcement purposes. pronounced "dead drank" by. two officers and State officials in 20 states reported their use a physician who had seen him shortly after during 1940. the accident Tests of blood specimens by Effectiveness of the Tests . Professor A. W. Swensen of Waverfy, how ever, showed a. low per cent of alcohol, and To determine whether die cities making repeated tests confirmed foe first-When foe use of chemical tests were obtaining more results of these tests became known, the man convictions for driving while under the influ was given a further medical examination, ence than cities not using such tests, studies which revealed a severely fractured- skull. were made of the reported number per 100,- This apparently bad accounted for foe man's 000 population. Results showed definitely "thick tongue?' and unsteady condition. Had that cities using the tests have better .convic no test beat made, theman might have been tion records. -prosecuted for a drunken driving charge^ or The accompanying table shows comparisons for cities in the different population groups. worse yet--died In bis cell from a fractured skull. On the average, a 'city usixgjchemical tests Casa 2. A negro driver sideswiped a mo reported about half again as many convic torcycle. The motorcycle rider was in a tions for driving vrttile underJhe influence of . group' with , fear other motorcycle riders, intoxicating liquor as a city not reporting each of whith daimed that the negro was in u/se of the tests . * -- toxicated. Two passengers riding with foe " A recent report from Cleveland for 1940 negro were obviously, intoxicated. Speci showed ar total of ,1^388 body fluid specimens mens taken from the passengers and from foe tested, with 980 cases going to trial and 954 driver were analysed by Dr. Herman M. pleading guilty or being found guilty. Of the Gann of Ashland, Ohio. Results showed that 195 persons who pleaded not guilty, 174 were the passengers were intoxicated, but that foe in foe group whose urine tests showed 020 per cent or more of alcohol Of this 174, only seven were discharged. This is a record of 96 per cent convictions in cases coming to trial with "not guilty" pleas--aa excellent negro driver had no alcohoL This test served to free tiie driver from an intoxication charge, and, under the conditions, prosecu tion and conviction would have been almost, certain if a test had not been made. record. Case 3. In Milwaukee recently, a driver- During foe past two years,' Professor apparently under foe influence of alcoholic A. W. Swensen of Wartbuig College (Wa- liquor struck a parked trade and a telephone verly, Iowa), has rim body fluid specimens pole, and finally came to a stop on foe wrong obtained from 177 suspected drivers. Of foe side of foe street He was arrested on a 154 persons prosecuted to date, 147 pleaded drunken driving charge, but the results of a guilty and seven pleaded not guilty. Only urine test showed no alcohol On examina one person .was found not guilty. Of' the 23 tion by a physician, he was found to have cases not prosecuted for driving while in been on the verge of a diabetic coma, fluenced, eight were dismissed for lade of evidence or low alcoholic readings, and 12 Casa 4. In one of several cases reported are pending. Several involved drivers killed ; by foe Connecticut State Police, the suspected in accidents. The average penalty for first ' driver was involved in a collision while on offenders has been a $250 fine or 60 days in ; foe wrong side of the roadi Three respon- jail Other penalties included one sentence of ' sible persons, in addition to foe operator of 8 years, one of three, and two Of one year the other vehicle; stated that foe suspected each. - driver was under foe influence of alcoholic Free the Innocent' liquor. The investigating officer noticed that Chemical tests aid not only in -Convicting guilty persons, but also in making sure that innocent persons go free. The following are examples of cases in which chemical tests have prevented a miscarriage of justice: the man occasionally lost l\is balance, stag gered slightly, and that hb eyes were partly closed, but he could smell no alcoholic odor. A urine test showed no alcohol Medical diagnosis revealed that foe man was suffering from a serious heart ailment He had been Case 1. In northern Iowa recently, a driver: ill for over a year, and was being treated for who had been involved in an accident was both a heart and kidney condition. rs and alter os by bow1, and n the eman ation, skull, man's Had : been B^ or touted a:nohi a idem, as inb the Spedm the in M.. d that at tiie lervcd cat' osi ilmw/ driverobolic phone wrong on a * of a unira> have Street and Highway Traffic Section 35 Convictions for Driving While Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor *1 During 1940 . From City Reports in National Traffic Safety Contest' o. SIZE OF CITIES Over SOOjOOO population-----250,009-500,000 population.. 100,009-250,000 population.. 50,000-100,000 population.. Total ......... ....................... CITIES REPORTING USE OF CHEMICAL TESTS ns: of . (Sties Aver. NQ.of- . - Convictions perl00,000 - Population .i 5 12 105 122 id 105 * ' i 12 139 39 120 CITIES NOT USING - , CHEMICAL TESTS No. of Cities Aver.Noof Conviction* perl0(MX)0 PopdaHos 8 29 *9 83 32- 98 54 82 103 | 83 . These examples show that chemical tests c A blood alcohol between .05 per cent aid in freeing the innocent as well as in con and .15 per cent is relevant evidence of victing theguilty. ........... intoxication, useful when other symp New Legislation toms warrant prosecution. The measure provides that the specimen The promotion of legislation dealing,with most be taken within two boars of the time of evidence obtained through chemical tests for arrest, and specifies the term "intoxicated" intoxication was ah important committee ac- instead of the phrase "Under the influence of tivity dtning the past year. A special leaflet, intoxicating liquor," as used hi the Uniform "Chemical Tests Are Fair," was prepared to Vehicle Code. aid in this promotion. Copies were famished state officials and safety councils, for distribu tion to legislators; and other influential persons! The new Oregon law is an enabling act which officially provides for use of evidence obtained through chemical tests which are made in counties having a population of 200,- Bills dealing with such evidence were in 000 dr more. The law states that the officer troduced hi the legislatures of 14 states (hir or person making the arrest may cause a ing 1941. Mach of this proposed legislation chemical analysis to be made^ unless the ar was based upon provisions of a law adopted rested person objects. If the person refuses in Indiana during 1939. The committee had to submit to the test, the refusal shall not be recommended that other legislatures consider used against hint in the trial. It appears that measures similar to those in the Indiana this provision would, permit the taking of Lav. Members of the committee aided per specimens for tests without informing the sonally in many states by sponsoring the person of the reason for taking them, unless bills, testifying in their behalf, and gathering the person objects. support for them. This Oregon Law does not prohibit the Such legislation was adopted in the states use of tests in other parts of the state. In of New York and Oregon during 1941. The . fact, they have been used in other localities. law adopted in New York Is practically iden The purpose of the law apparently Is to rec tical with the Indiana provision. The limits ognize officially the use. of the tests in the prescribed in terms of per cent of alcohol in county surrounding Portland. the blood are as follows: a. A' blood alcohol below .05 per cent is prima facie evidence that the driver was not intoxicated. Legislation, similar to that in Indiana passed both houses of the Illinois Legisla ture, but was vetoed by the Governor. In Iowa, a hill providing for compulsory use of b. A blood alcohol of .15 per cent or more chemical tests passed the House of Repre may be admitted as prima fade evidence sentatives by a 2 to 1 majority, but was killed that the defendant was intoxicated. in a committee of the Senate. 36 30th National Safety Congress Indiana, Maine, New York and Oregon prepared and made available to those author now have legislation dealing with the use of * ized to take them, this might not have hap evidence obtained through chemical tests/ pened. None of these laws provide for the compul sory taking of specimens. They deal only with die use of evidence m/ien chemical tests are made of body fluids or the breath of sus pected drivers. In a civil case in Wisconsin recently, an adverse Supreme Court opinion was based ' partly on the questionable identification of a blood specimen. The specimen was taken from a driver who had been killed in an acci Another interesting legislative develop dent, but it was not properly sealed or la ment was the adoption in Oklahoma and beled. It had been sent through inter-office Texas of amendments which changed the mail of the railroad company rather than status of the penalty for driving .while under through the -U. S. Mail. the influence of intoxicating liquor. For merly, the penalty was a felony, which made it-difficult to obtain convictions. The amended law changed the penalty to a misdemeanor for a first offense, as is provided in die Uni form Vehicle Code. Officials in both, states feel confident that this will make it easier to secure convictions. There have been instances in which officers were permitted to operate breath test equip ment without adequate training. Questions were raised concerning the accuracy of the tests. - It is imperative that those permitted to run the tests be given thorough training and only a limited number of person should be permitted to take specimens and to ana The penalty provided in the Uniform Ve lyze them. Once again, if. definite rules for hicle Code for a first offense is imprisonment taking specimens and for making analyses are for not les$ than 10 days nor more than one prepared and are followed, there should be year, or by fine of not less' than $100.00 nor little difficulty from the standpoint of positive more than $1,000.00, or by'both such fine mid specimen identification and accuracy of the imprisonment. The operator's or chauffeur's license shall also be revoked for any person jtests. > ' ) There have been other instances in which convicted of the offense. ' tests have been "thrown out" of cotnrt be Proper Testing Systems cause the judge, prosecutor, or the public had not been adequately sold on the value of such The need for proper establishment of' ! tests. It is imperative that the officials and' chemical testing systems was recognized in ; the public be thoroughly informed of methods 1939. The Committee Report that year con for tiring chemical tests and of their reu tained a comprehensive section on essential sability before they are used in enforcement considerations in setting up a testing pro gram. This report was widely distributed and undoubtedly has been helpful in many places. ; A common fault in some places has been failure to "sell" officials of higher courts on the reliability of the test In some instances, ^ these officials on appeal cases have refused to During the'past two years, however, in permit such evidence to be introduced in their stances of improper use of chemical tests ? courts. have come to the attention of committee ; ; Occasionally analyses have been made hr members. This may be expected, since many : persons who have not given sufficient study officials are just starting to make use of these to methods-for making the analyses, or bad tests, and some may not be familiar with the, .sufficient experience' in performing them. preparations necessary for establishing a\ With the trend toward thegseof more spe proper system. Improper use, however, sets cific tests forjak^iol, persons Vmo make such back the whole program and makes more tests must/Kavis ^IthorouglMmowjedge of or difficult the job of those who are doing good . ganic chemistry jind know hesMo deal with work in this important phase of traffic safety. . f There have been instances of persons ster possible intQferjmg substances, hi addition, a properly qt&tffied expert must be available ilizing instruments in alcohol and 'cleansing; to interpret results of tests'in court for'cases the person's skin with an alcoholic solution which go .to trial. before taking blood specimens. If a proper In two cases in Iowa, recently, highway set of rules for taking specimens bad been1 patrol officers sent a second specimen of Street and Highway Traffic Section 37 blood to the laboratory of the State Univer sity Hospital for analysis because they felt that the analyses performed locally were.not accurate. The check tests revealed this to be the case. >. necessary orders to police officers, train--3 injj, obtaining equipment, making a se ries of experimental tests, and planning the steps in presenting testimony in court In,May, 1941, a sub-committee was ap pointed to develop a program which-cities and states could follow in setting up a proper chemical testing system. Professor A. W. Swensen was appointed Chairman. Other members included Sergeant C. F. Van Blankensteyn, Dr. H. M. Gunn, and Sergeant F. M. Andrews. 7. A final public meeting is held to dem onstrate the system. 8. The system is put into effect for en forcement purposes. The educational program is continued to keep the offi cials and the public supporting the pro gram. The sub-committee's report contained a /? "* 'statesRowing .this, suggested administrative procedure for cities administrative procedure, the subcommittee and states to follow in setting up a proper ?150 Prepared suited agenda for the meet- program. Recommended steps in the order in "8s' a of &e ^ *e ex5cu' which they should be taken are as follows: Uve asagnmg responsibility for the various parts of the program, a list of.essential quali- 1. Conduct a general educational program ncatioris for the analyst and the person who on the value of chemical tests, through handles expert testimony in court, and a com- the newspapers, radio, speeches, and plete set of instructions for obtaining sped-N use of sound-slide films,* to pave the mens'* and for performing other duties' in way for a preliminary organization .. connection with examining suspected drivers meeting. ^ and pedestrians.. 21 Hold a preliminary mating of officials This administrative procedure; and a mem- ^ and leading citizens to dicrwcc chemical orandum, "Instructions for the Examination testing systems, and to appoint a com- of Drinking Drivers," are available from the mittee to consider otting up such a National Safety Council. Attached to the in- program locally. strnctions is a copy , of the "Alcoholic Infln- _____ . * ence Report Form," which is recommended 3. The. committee should study the prob- for use in recording answers to questions anil lera and prepare a report to the mayor results of physical examinations. or the head of the State Police, Depend- ing npon the local situation, the report Future Activity . may or may not contain recommenda- _ . . . tions on the type of program best suited Purmg **" next year> committee will to the mndtftnTM8 - conUnue promotion of proper use of scientific tests. Its major. job7 however, will be the 4. Following approval by the administra- < completion of a manual on tests for intarica- tive head, letters should be sent assign-, tion. '* ^ ing the.responsibility for each phase of the program, and requesting that heces- _ j ... . . , . TWs manual is mtended for use as a hand- sary study and other preparations be book by officials and others cooperating in a made in rasr, ' . scientific testing program. It will deal with all phases of the problem, and summarize 5. Those responsible for each part of the - available literature.. program should meet, agree' on a defi- , ,, . ... nite cooperative arrangement, and of the manual has been pre adopt definite rules for operation. Pared* aw* committee members have been `. assigned to the job of. writing various sec- 6. Each cooperating agency should ar- tions. All material will'be cleared through range to carry out its part of the pre- an editorial subcommittee which will review liminaiy work. This includes preparing it, eliminate, duplication, and put the manual *A sound-slide film, "Testing the Drinking Drimv" is aniUUe bom the National Safety Council for *to purpose. t 38 30th National Safety Congress in final form. The book will be well illus trated, about 144 pages long, and printed with an attractive stiff cover. It should be off-the press before the next Congress. During tilts next year, the committee also plans to collect .and to summarize court deri sions on chemical tests for intoxication and on analogous cases. The committee recommends that a compre hensive study be made of individual toler ance to alcohol, Hand when funds are avails able: Such a study is necessity to investigate the . possibility of setting a borderline limit for definite alcoholic influence at a value lower than the present recommended value of 0.15 per cent of alcohol in the blood. The committee urges flat every consideration be given to securing funds for such a s|udy. New Rrcommcndataoni A complete set of 25 recommendations on methods, for dealing with suspected drivers and pedestrians is given in tire 1940 Report of the committee. Since tins report is still available for distribution, these recommenda tions will not be repeated here. The follow ing, however, are new recommendations based upon developments' during the past year: 1. Before using chemical tests for en forcement purposes, the administrative procedure . for' each testing system should be agreed upon'and stated in writing so that there will be no ques tion with regard' to responsibility for each phase: All neoessary traimng and preliminary work should be completed. Instructions for taking, sealing, and preserving specimens should be in writing. 'Analysts of body fluid specimens most be able to do accnrate work, as eridencedby trainingandexperience.They m^beabfotoprqareahdstaixlardize tohrtions used in^ffi^tests, and must have had experi^mftmning at, SO specimens wttikksofn) quantifies ofV alcohol. .Whenever results ,of chemical tests are to be used for enforcement purposes, it is advisable; when possible; to obtain a duplicate specimen and to seal and store it for use when the defense requests a specimen for a., check test. .It is ad visable that;specimens be taken and -sealed in the presence of witoesses and the accused person: , Ultimately, the laboratories whidt per form such tests in each<4tate should be standardized so as to assure accuracy of the analyses. Possibly this may be done by setting standards and having labora tories approved.by state departments or courts. Unknown specimens might be submitted to each laboratory so as to maintain periodic decks on accuracy. TUESDAY & THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSIONS .October 7, 1941 October 9, 1941 Group Session? of State Public Education Directors Presiding--Hasold L. Muelleb, Assistant Editor, Oklahoma surd Times, Oklahoma Pub lishing Company, Oklahoma City, and Chairman, State Public Education Committee, Street & Highway Traffic Section, NSC. Pi i-,i, i. r V..vV"<i Js-js'i&iir.a .^A Streetland. Highway Traffic Section \ ... '* . "Ci.,* Tuesday Session 39 Leslie J,Sorenson;, Vice Presidenffor .^Errsboothtg die marie;" he told the confer-. Public Safety.traced the Emergency Safely. erlce.- "We need program material Which we Campoignfrom President RooseveltyProc- can pot into use immediately. Give ns yonr lanationtb the Emeigeuty Conference in answer," he aid. New' York and explain<d the broad plans of the drive, . . '/ ' This , was followed by an informal discus sion of varions public educational measures "Nothing that you will do here will be . in the states.: Thursday Session PadF.HilVDirector, Safety:Education, ' "The Report of the Traffic and Transpor- Iowa' IMputtnent. <if Public Safely, lead a tatioa- Cbmmittee; and the Committee on disepssionafinter-rity contests. He distrib Public Information of the' Emergency: Safety ute^ copies of forms ;of thecgeneral plan of Conference, other N. S. C ptilications, the the Jowa competition. ': Mr. Mueller also Institute of Traffic Eogmeers, aswellas described the Oklahoma, contest; others have set fbrth definite recommenda Following this discussion, there was a tions for attacking the problem... period for question a^: answers amongthe "This mechanics of getting.these recom group. In order to crystallize die program mendations into the chanhels of dissemination of state pdbliceducation, the following state are lackmginmany cases andthe state Pub ment of policy was adojAed bytbegroup: lic Education Committee assumjes ' tfae .task "In his talk befbre tbe Conference of State ; Public Educatioa Directors at die. National;1 Safety Coogress, Chairman Leslie J. Soren- of aiding states in developing materials and recommending activities which will con tribute to.the solution of the problem. son of the National Safety- Council Emer "At the State Public Education Confer-. gency Campaign Committee placed the re ence mentioned above, there were sereral sponsibility for tnobilixingpublic support suggestions node for; coping immediately upon the people who are carrying on public with public safety problems created by de education. fense. Our firet step shoiuld;be to assemble "The State Public Educatioa Committee accepts tins responsibility, so far as the state portion of die problem is concerned, and will accordingly devote its. first effort to developing a model safety defense program tiiese materials , develop additional ones and to cast tiie whole' into :a model pattern for states. This ^ in complete, agreement with the first objective adopted by, the Committee at its first meeting in Washington last April." for states.. !(This program, was subsequently A complete set of ipinutesof-thc two con developed and is available from die N. S. C ferences can be obtained from the' National -Ed.) Safety Council,'Chicago. ; ',: i WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION October ,1941 Joint Sessionof City and State Police and Traffic Court Judges and Prosecutors Presiding:. Lt Fraddin M. KremI, Director, Safety Division, international Association of Cbiefa of Poliot, Evanston, HL, and Director, Northwestern University Traffic Institute; -s ^Jbo..lo-lOLi*.'>kViv-jfeje.JI"i.! Z'Uie.A tJpiAL*\ 40 30th National Safety Congress \* Why Traffic Law Enforcement Breaks Down in this Courts By COL. JOHN W. BOSWOB^H Superintendent, State Department of Public Safety, Charleston, W. Vt Since almost all traffic -violations are mis presented.' Often the judge must rely upon demeanors and are, therefore, handled in - the arresting officer for advice... To my per the lower courts, this discussion will be con sonal knowledge this has not happened just fined to the police and justice of the peace once; but in hundreds of cases. . courts. I can also cite numerous cafes where the Traffic law enforcement can and is in many judges^cannot even read nor write. instances broken down not only from the standpoint of the enforcement officer but, also, of the motorist and the pedestrian alike Graft because of the following main reasons: It is entirely too easy for the court to accept a fee for outright acquittal or forre- Method of Selection t during a charge. I have records at hand where in one county, in oiie month 26 driv The justice `of the peace and tbeiriHfe-: ing drunk cafes were reduced to reckless judge are elected by popular vote and irrthe driving. In .many of these cases itwas ne course of being elected friends must be made cessary for the police officer actually to carry and certain obligations are incurred during . tho driver from his. canto theJail. Several the campaign. The term of office Is usually ofthefe cases were tried before the appointed very short which does not. afford adequate time andthecases disposed of Th*enforce time to become acquainted with the compli ment officer did not have the right of appeal cations of the work. The average Justice and could only accept the verdict In' the of the Peace has no sooner become settled ' location to which I rder the accident experi in office until he must start campaigning foiv, ence reached alarming proportions bemuse the next election if he intends to remafor the violator realized that . for a nominal fee Votes are not obtained by sending people to he could sidestep any charge. Am onjust- jail or by assessing fines. conviction has the same demoralizing effect ;as an unjust acquittal. Compensation A justice of`the peace receives his fee Court Coated from costs collected. It is most difficult for anyone to administer absolute justice when personal gain is involved. The Judges rea lize that he not only must retain an office Because judges are elected for popular vote they of coarse, in most rmrtances are affili ated with a group that exercises control to a great extent over their actions. Bi many in and an adequate clerical assistance but also stances a judge may be honest bnt finds that he must make a living for hlmsdL It is. us he cannot function because of pressure: ually found that the convictiop rate in these courts is highest when a comparative few cases, are tried which would bear out' the ^ Easy Mark forShrewd Lawyer* fact that this method of compensating for* In many instances the court fedringin edu services is basically unsound. '' . cation mid experience fells easy prey to a shrewd lawyer. In one county, which I could Qualifications name; and do have die newspaper doping, the proseenting attorney statedbefore the The only qualifications are that of resi election that if any person arrested for driv dence. and titizenship. No knowledge of law, ing'drunk would appeal the case that he evidence or procedure are required. In many would guaranteriJie wotdd not be convicted. instances cases are dismissed because of That particular eponty waa noted for'its lade of evidence, when actually the judge drfekmg drivers, and political gestures such did not"even recognize evidence when it was as these would appeal .to the violator. ......... * SpreettmdHfa Section: 41 k -vlicni rllllH gtrilty to manslaughter because tfae/.evidehbe was, so powerful that jie couM do nothiiig Few pdice departments are free from els^ but was given a 1 year probation sen `^ckrtfecing"W agoldeh tence by the Cburi --V oMxffUinity for ^ jadgcto %. . mstehim^fattgc^ :;.Iti;mptiiercs|ea teutiMycungl^ that insure- Km .rcdortioo.^ He does; notrealize. ,,was>'y^.;;prommqit':';Wj thatbeisactually losingrespectas ageritie-. man and';sti:;dw's*TMe:tiiiie dealing a severe;- ;:tiiat';'tiiO!wed:>'st3de'inHdnt^ bio# W cffectiTeato : '>'> working, Irat lcept up fe i ran j .direr and killed, tie flagman wbowas waving j If did- traffic law enforcement program, a fed flag at her.K She did not have an . now proposal by the. National Safety Council opetiu^a- licetise and was arrrated and and approved by almost everystate in tbe charged with that violation and mansUtifffi- unioa, is to enjoyanprineasureof success It ter. JThe cade resulted,.in: a hung jury. The will benecessary to rvnap. oar lower court case wais brought upagain and she pleaded system inoctfrr that the judgemay be. prop jptffiy and was given a probation sentence. erly qualified and be free from politkal in*' fioence. ".v In 1940 a 72 year, old Negro, wbo admitted drinkmgtbraebottiesof beer, pulled his car When tbit occurs the morale of die De onto tbe highway, atnight, from a beer forcement! official, will be raised materially joint where be!, was'parked on tbe left of tbe and the violator wQl respect tbe law. highway, directlyin front of a inotorcyde Polh&gthrodgbout the Up3ftt-?S$gtes ir tint was proceeding lawfully along the higb- rapidly becoming .a professfon and in turn way, operated by a young msin witb a girl is attracting men of high caliber. If acddenta riding .aloog btiiind him. T!ie young man are to be reduced the court must operate on was kfikd instantly mid the'young ladyser- the aame lead.,. woy, is most corma pefiofit in any com* tnwiby. are i'i,mvi^ iiiimnn* fixan; pcosecu-; tion inthe courts oo traflic law violations, especially in drinng'dninlc and inotorrveiiicie ionsly tajuratThe tbrorand duly witnesses made a signed statement that the negro was in fruit, .thin he polled directly in front of the motorcycle.' The Negro admitted :.the fret and: pksukdguilty.to tie.hfrd violatioa mmhfghfel^ mostly amcmg:tiwd^ politically pfominent and thekKs.Isit iwt afret thatwe ali know of certain persons tint could hot be convicted oaticse charges, re- ganllessofhowsiroogthccvidenceP^N^ we are. honest'We wfllbave toadmit tbe fact and .every one of-mcanto or- snare ititmhur cades';'tbat';-wcre' hot con victed, if we will stopandthinkawhik. to the grandjury ontnamlaaghter charge. He was indicted and^tin;t^ not pitoseaifed. The twd-Negro politual feaderijd%ti dty : had gooeohliuixdamd.w^ thecourtrooim udien tie case was called. Tins action-, was sath'a cptoss nusdurage (d justke that the ; frtiier- ahd the arresting offiper tnade1 numerous trips to the prosecuting, attorney's ofi^ insisting-that tie case be prmeuted to theGrand Juryagaih. ,v' In thecounty where I Imvc worked for the pastsixyearsthere is a population ofabout 100,000peopleand moeterf thosereside :ina c%':;o{;^aM;7^0(k^it-is.,a; knownfaictin ; this countythat die courts will not convict on tiw: charge' of automobile manslaughter regardlessof iww powerful a . casetbeState'" The casewaspre*^ Jury again Oct 6,1911, mid all of tie. frets pre sented. No iodktoxnt was retarned. The prosecutmg attorney: seemed to be emhar- - raided and stated that he could not tmder- sfrnd'it v;:' . present^' It is aho known .tiiafvwfcea a In anotiter case udiich oawred in 1939, drunk drive- appeals from jostice court, or the sheriff of a Keniiicky county was .brihg- wahnes to a. l^her cdUrt/tbat lie will get a . ing two prisoners to a. town in West Vir- probatedsentence if found guilty. . In -~h gfma v At be was proceeding along at a mod great number of, cases' there hasneyerbeCn erateJapeed. on a strai^it lughwey^ a state a conviction and one socially andpolitkalfy maintenance ddivery truck;passed ^him from prominentyoungman thathadlrilled three thev rear going at a teniffic speed, then cut persons wUle driving dnmk had to plead ' over fr the f^it of tiie road in front ^of the 42 30th National Safety Congress ? a.*ia.& a* is* si e* 9 , a ct's a o a* sheriff hitting' his left front wheeL He was killed instantly. After investigating thef/ case thoroughly we arrested die trade driver on die road law violation that caused die acddtnjand a man slaughter charge. He waived to die grand jury and was indicted. We had arrested this young man one time before on af hit-and-run charge and his license had besot Revoked. Hie state senator in that district bad sold him public liability insurance and bad gotten his license bade fen* him. The Senator was also related to him. The trade driver adniitted that he was making between 50 and 60 miles per hour (our speed limit.is:45) and the physical evidence along with evidence of wit nesses showed that be faad'ett over into die car. All of the evidence was presented at die trial and die State Senator was there as a witness for the defendant He was found not guilty. Numerous other cases, arid be diown in this County and in various other Counties. This condition is prevalent in nearly all of our Counties. - Some two or three yearse ago, we had two cases where prominent Iawyerswere arrested on aggravat&fhases of driving drank. Thesecases were raicted but were never brought up to be tried. 'ft & & !..< , "SS S 0 S S8 5 8 8 8' Why Traffic Law Enforcement Breaks Down By JUDGE DENNIS E. O'BRIEN Mimicipal Court, Omaha, Neb. ...It would be delightful indeed if I could With reference to the possible avoidance - deliver an undreamed of panacea to cure the of some of the cruelties rendting from auto accident problem, but dash your hopes. Yon mobile operation. It must be^qdjjuitted tint cannot blame mere judges, police officials neither judges nor policemen can anticipate and police.officers for this dilemma. Never tiie accident about to happen. It is com fear, I shall not dodge; my jduty, and will monly recognized that police forces are un soon enough attempt to place my friend, the dermanned and, therefore, cannot be ejected policeman, on the hot-seat for what little be, to catch but a small percentage of offenders. can achieve in the line of duiy. Policemen must be trained to beable to cor First, however, 1 place blame where blame belongs. Responsibility rests on a definitely cruel and demented strata of society. If I rect, advise and .teach' the vehicle operator. . Instead of frequently overlooking many vio lators, there should be a corrective system. advocated unrestricted use of a revolver, you would immediately challenge me. Yet an antoinobae, a naturally dangerous instru mentality, capable of untold destruction, is readily distributed into the hands of danger ous people. For instance^ John Jones was appndtended. on October ^ 1941, tnnle lrartying fo attend the National Safety Council Congress. He narrowly mimed a pedestrian; he brushed a. trade; his fenders show the occurrences <pf driving too dose on . other occasions. A re Thorough Examinations cording system of these frets shotdd.be kept and the record ,would sooa be aide 4o pre I advocate as a -step to safety a thorough examination into the qualifications of each applicant seeking the privilege of operating a motor vehicle. - If the standards that I dwtl set prevail--good physique and a familiarity dict tiMsfuture-Ttwillbejustanotiier case of intelligent law enforcement. "Sparing the rod ami spoiling the a policy must never be. I The policeman's observation should be sup with the working parts.-of an atdomobi}e plemented by a thorough understanding of all will not M suffijaent. 4n applied LQ. test, traffic tides. He cannot teach wbat he him with practical study of one's emotional sta self does not know. He cannot apprehend if bility, plus'-a-search into the recesses of garb he does not know th reason for appre applicant's heart for his attitudes. hending. Such a scientific approach would soon es Let us-presume that we have'the Ideal tablish that certain types produce accidents-- officer; as to observation he is excellent; he others do not has studied the traffic rides so that he is a j gw A witito the ted at Acte found vn m nnties. all of >e sap; of all Blum* tend if U8P**- Street and.highway Traffic Section 43 walking.traffic code.. He still must be able The same results can be accomplished with tordateinufranl^ accurate^ unbiasedman- the traffic safety problem. '' ner^ali; that hehas seen-andheard, for the court cannot convict qhwfaai: the-policeman knows, -bat mast refer on whit be testifies, Freqaentfo a hoe and.ay against judges for failure to cpnvict is aroused. If we arefaith- . ftdjo otm trust and:.to the cannot convict thorn presomed innocent i proven jpulfy. Itfanotaskmgtooinuch of the police officer^-to be^able to describe a ' I fed humble in makingthese suggestions, , as I fallyrecognizethe weaknesses of^ all mankind.vTrti^ what I have said " my conclusions of over^O years enceasdtyprosecutor' andmnmdpal^jtidgev and my more or less factual study of traffic conditions, not only in my owndty,;butin surrounding areas, having similar. problems. man's conduct. Instead of just the allega tion <ibe was drunk," he can explain that the defendant was bleary^eyed, halting inspeecb, -staggering. ^ If die officer comes on to an accident tint he could not have seen, it is essential that he note-down, as part of. his investigation, the names of all witnesses, street conditions, .. physical proofs, including skid maiicvand to obtain photographic evidence of any destruc The police, department can make' the. traf fic officer's jobconsiderihlyrnore efficient, by assigning a sufficient' number of officers to tfce'iaffic departnKmt. Take the record of one Manpower of tim -police force, 246; ic bureau^ 42 assigned. A percentage of only 17. Yet tins.17 per-cent havethe burden of enforcing considerably more than half of the city's violations. tion7 of property. AidhyPrewandBaffio ; Only too often does the officer expect the - judge's imagination to furnish the proofs that the officer has failed , to develop, greatest pang of regret that a judge can haw Is to see.an officer hufignantfr walk from the courtroomwith tiwfaeling that the judge has not respected ids word nor taken the officer's 1 Nebraska, and espcscfalfer in Omaha, bted to the educational assistance tad by press.and radio. Service of tins requires the help of .pubtierminded peo ple and institutions, without winch we can not succeed. conclusioiis as the trtttik,Too often he fails to understand tint it isn't the officer's word that is. questioned;, bat the' accuracy of Ins .conclusions and the failure to support con The breakdown in. traffic law enforcemdit as far as tbe police department .is concerned may be summarized as follows:. tentions with evidentiary fact This jptdd. 1. The police have failed to do their fair bring greater disrespect of lawandfdnftr share In educating the public. . and it is the<officer that should undersold tint .the court sits with willing, ear and 2. They have failed to enlarge and perfect anxious .to prevent the continuous kilting a good engineering department as industrial * and maiming of humans, and detraction of concerns have done property. Active Pubfic Officials 3. They have .failed to use the proper method in the selection, of their pefaonhd, These recommendations can mon.hotfaing mdess bolstered by activity on the part of public officials. Through safeguards on ma and have failed to educate-their officers properfer where they can help in preparing evidence. chinery, better, lighting and equipment, and through education of employees, industrial deaths and accidents have decreased to a great extent . They should have a training school I would rather have a' police department who ' carried no guns than one who does not have a school for training officers. 44 30th National Safety Congress Should Jury. Trials Be Abolished in Misdemeanor Cases? A PanelDisctission ' Members of the Panel: Lx. FsankuN M. Kuna, Leader? Hugh L. McAkrmnt,- Attorney, State Department of Public Safety, Tallahassee, Fla.; Judge Hugh L. Smith, San Francisco; and George Wamen, Special Counsel, National Committee on Traffic Law EhfonxmeiitrTtaitbn, N. J. LIEUT. KREML: 'What are your views Lieut Kreml silked how they proposed to of tins question, Mr. Warren? : go about to getting tiie plan affixed, assum MR. WARREN: Two considerations must ing'that tfaerewere no -constitutional draw*- be faced: ; hacks ht abolishing jury trials: for misde meanor traffic cases. 1. We mast-understand the purpose for which jury trials have been evolved in oar MR. McARTHUR: The ptibBe can be system of American jurisprudence,; and persuaded to accept the plan if they, are approached^^carcfiailly; 2. Are jury, trials necessary for traffic cases, and if so, how? . i JUDGE SMITH;'.ThcrerwooM pcobabfr . be great opposition from,lawyers engaged in MR. McARTHUR, replying to similar .the practice of criminal law, as they coidd question: The Kingof old appointed thejudge be expected, .to oppose the plan^vigorously. and the judge was responsible only, to him.. However, about 90 per cent of the lawyers Decisions behind dosed doors were frequent . are engaged in dri. practice only. so jury trials evolved as a cure. Now people' make the appointing, so there is not as'- MR WARREN: itmight be possible to nrach reason or need.for the-safeguard. provide forabolition in MotorVridde Codes. Prooedure for offenses which by common JUDGE SMITH stated his viewpoint as law would not requite a jury trial could be follows: From the academic viewpoint, would prescribed.. tiie proposition be constitutional? Just what is the guarantee in the United States Con At this point Ijeut KimMafled^com- stitution, mice Louisiana already does-not meats and questions from the-floor. require jury trials in misdemeanor traffic cases? It is reported that the United States Supreme Court has held tint a jury trial is DON F. STIVER: It isdoubtful that tins could be put tiunongh tiie legislature at the present time. It ndgbt be possible to take not necessary as traffic cases were not con* templated at the time the constitutional safe*' . guard was written.* I have not seen this decision. Perhaps some one else here has. When the traffic violator defendant asks for ' fwffiy gradual step by other means in IndbiMr There was some discussion about the cost of jury trials and Lieut Kreml asked Judge Hurry H. Porter for his view* on tint print a jury trial, it usually is for purposes of delay, and substantial justice- is not bring done. JUDGE PORTER: The cost ofjury trials is a very big heat Cook Comrty. JlL, ap propriates a totalof over $640u000 per. year On the other hand, it is best not to.go too fast on reforms. ; for jury trials, most of wfafdi is used for traffic casen -V. MR. WARREN, on subject of constitu tionality: Many charges which exist today were not existent at the time the Constitution was written and they are not safeguarded by jury trials. . But if the charge Was classed as a common law felony, probably it Would be so classed now. Also, if present misdemean ors were common law offenses, then the defendant could probably claim the safeguard Jury trials are undesirable from several other standpoints: 1. Expensive. 2. Dday proceedings. The average judge could handle ten times as many cases if he did not have to hold jury triads for misde meanors. 3. No. one can predict how l(g a jury of a jury trial. At best; there'is a limited trial will last cad therefore the time of a field which would apply to jury exceptions. great many people is wasted. Pr I? led to SSUffl- dnw*msde foaldy gedin could w4)r. iWJffifS Ebfe.to snCode*. r* cotn_ tad* al the 9 take ieeost Judge . n--n>|--L* r trials IL, P* rjar ed for Street and Highway Traffic Section 45 4. No matter how carefully plansmay be . JUDGE SMITH: If foe safeguard ofjury made to avoid' wasting foe time of other trials in misdemeanor cases is not covcred in peopfevfoonmstappear/there is no (dan that ' the National Constitution, and- frfori'. {the will .vwSdi: wifo'a Jtiry. -. information reported here ifdoesn't seem to JUDGE PpRTER proposed ;1. Snbsthnte a pahelrifonto judges on serious cases with a majoi^gpimpn;^ assessing be, then we shall have to go., to -foe' State ^Cbostitotions and to., foe -'decisions l ot the. State Supreme Courts;-.> of the ckatbpenalty,wbra tmanimcras agree- : JUDGE JOE BROWNCUMMINGS: mentwo^berequind. Amending the State Constitutional Tennes . __ '* ' 2. Change foe qrsteu et chobstng jodges, see is.a difficult thing/ In act, it has never been amended, and itdoesprovide for juiy so that proper consideration amid begrven . to training, experience judicial qualifications, trials in misdemeanor cases. ! andpermanehcy. ` MR. McARTHUR: Conldn't it be done CHIEF W-. -INGRAM: While Sou* Bend has made a sooirappropriation for jury trade daring foe past tm jwn it has by action of judges refusing jnry trials, especially - where feg&riner dhiiges are difficult? not beehused. Only afew cases go to the - L1EUT. KREML* in snmming upu . L it othercoartaforjarytrials.v : '% seems tobetheopimpa.of;flfe:femp.flat ALEXANDER G. BROWN: Juries are jniy . trials sbomld beaboKsfiedinimsdemeanor traffic cases. not used frequently in misdemeanor traffic csses^mB>rtiand.tIf a defendant.requests 2 It is evident (hat the Constitution of a jury triaj, hemnstpay a $1200 jury fee, the United States does not provide tills safe and foci triu conies tinder foe District Judge. guard for certain' misdemeanors which were under state lair.. Qf drmfo driving cases, not contemplated at foe tiiiiiie the Goastiution about one in four request jury trials.' Ooh was written, and fort at least one state does erallythejuty will favor foe.defendant in not providefois safeguard. minor cases/as foe nsenibers of foe jury are influenced by prejudice and'cmotion and are of little or no value; -2 It may be assmned that many of foe StateConstitutions';followthe'hhgaagfc of foe Federal Constitntxm, but each state win MR. ' McARTH.UR: As a practicing have to be considered separately, to see just lawyer, most of whose experience has been what language they'useon fois print It representing foe defendant most juries merit is laigriy a state problem. ' confidence, rithoujh they do not tafce traffic cases veiy seriously. 4 Educating the public to the. desirability of the change wtil'be a long process, which LIEUT. KREML: Let's have more rag* will require the gtmost care and plauning gestions is to hoar are would proceed in and we reebgrite that tide is a reform which getting this* reform. cannot dc wnicm ininirniiwaj. O. ', lieveral WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION judge i if be misde- a jury e of a ; October 8,1941 GroupSession for TnriScEnginefen PresHB*tf:~Pebr.Roiaai L Moew^w/Department tf Highway Engineer^ AHighway Transport; Umversilypf Michigan, and Chairman,' Committee on Traffic.- Engineering1, . Street ft HigtarayTrafik; Section; NSC. i t, ' b r* *i 46 30th National ^afety Congress Results of Sp^Zohing By e. Arizona Highway Department, Phoenix, Speed zoning in Arizona has been confined ; tenance divisions in fixing up certain hazard to state highways, of higfr^aaadcnt) ratings. ous conditions. Speed zoning may focus Generally, these highways-are the Ugh attention to the seemingly obvious items of speed and relatively. Ugh density roads re maintenance' often overlooked* This added flecting high exposure values. attention may contribute as much to die accident redaction rate as the speed zoning Prior to 1938, there were three speed itself. In respect to Zone 2; this may be the zones established and signed. No engineering case. An exhaustive study of. the accidents studies were made, the limits (absolute) would no doubt bring to light many interest were: arbitrarily srt.;The resultant accident ing facts. Our traffic division has neither redaction in these zones cannot be denied, die budget requirements nor nonpower to but we receive considerable critidsm^due to make drtailed studies at all locations. the low speed limits. ' Zone 3, on U. S. 70. near Salford, was Practically all of Zone I is wider Sum .ashitraribr established at 45 ta-ph. for 22 two lanes and, where speed checks ^ were miles. "ThisIs another zone established with- . made this year, on - four-lane undivided. out pidinunasy study which also shows a roads in this zone the 85 per cent speeds marked redaction in accident rate. were from 44 to 46 m.pJh. This might finffrafr* dose observance of- speed signs, ' Bn the, tabulation below you will, note a , intensive enforcement, good judgment in marked decrease'ia Zone 3.for 1940. We establishing die zone, or a little of all these. fed this is in error and attribute the dis Traffic densities rim from 3,000 to 12500 crepancy to lade, of accident investigation vehicles per day in this zone. The 1940 and reporting during this year. . accident rate of 253.1 accidents per hundred million vehicle miles is lower than the 1940 state average of 2588. Due to these subse quent studies we felt that the zone as estab lished was reasonable and -therefore have made no recommendations for changes. . As mentioned previously these three zones were established prior to 1938 Fwithout the aid of engineering analysis. The following is a summary erf accident rates in these zones: Zone 2, near Tucson, is on a' two-lane highway carrying about 2,000 cars , per day. Speed checks made this year show a high percentage of non-observance of the 50 m.pb. limit for over 75 per cent of die 30-mile dis tance, indicating buck of enforcement, , im proper signing, or an unreasonable i speed restriction. Accidents, however, have been reduced materially in this zone, tbere.befog a 56 per cent redaction from 19137 to 1938 and 58 per cent redaction between 1937 to 1939. Same shoulder widening in this stretch during 1939 and 1940 no doubt contributed to die redaction of accidents there. Several Df reflector buttons were placed in posts at the shoulder line where ah injigatioh canal parallels the highway. This may-have helped also. Accidents per 100 Million V. M. Zonel Zone2 , Zone3 1937 .................. 3185 . 453wl 2787! 1938 .................. 2252 * 255L9 2975 1939 .......................3104 263.4 187.4 1940 .......... 253.1 2702 788 Our first attempt to establishspeed zones by engineering analysis was a 110-mile sec tion of U. S. 60-70 between Widcenbarg and die California Kne. Actual rtudies were begun in February, 1938. Day, and njgbt. speed tests were taken at 13 locations. Accident diagram and spot maps were made from a complete year's accident reports. A physiol road inventory was pfotted,Jsbowfog curves, super-elevations, sight distance, widths, bridges, etc. ' ~ r; After a speed zone lias been established - Armed with this data our field .force was and signed we have often noticed a marfa*! able actually to check and test each place in increase of interest on the part of the main- .. question against our technical analysis of V .* . ,5............. ... -7<v Street and Highway Traffic Section 47 the* sitoatiotv thereby proving or disproving to lower existing speeds. Both- ideas seem previous conclusions. to work, for only two accidents were re Our rend^to the highway commission ported in thisl.6 mile aohe for 1940 as indoded'l^im/limit of 60mpJb. daytime rirntpased to tune daring 1939^ and 5d> ntpT at night; oil cams to be We are just-now completing foesiguing"~ \ signed fgrjcritical speed when it was less of a 381-mile speed zone on U. S. 66 across-- than (SO; n<H*siiig^|aBes establishrf and Ancona from the California line near striped when sight; diriiu>ce.was less than ; Needles, Calif., to the New Mexico line near 1J00Q feet eye to ey&sadeqpate speed signs, Gallop, N. M. V. ' placed at predetermined strategic, points; ;An exhaustive stagy was made of tins signs to angmenr and' explain no-passing ropfe as to existing speeds, road conditions, stripes; "no-passing" stripe to be. solid line/ accidents and their causes. Speed checks on right side of broken center line, r' were made at 21 locations, /with samples In September, 1938, the commission ap rangmgifrom 100 to 800 can per. loca proved the report and estahlisbedfoe zone tion. The 85 ' percental speeds, were then __ and the entire work of signing andlstriping' used as a baris of test rtms. The final solu was finally.completed in Fdmmy, 1939. tion Whs a top speed of. 60 m.pLh. day and . 50 at night, but interspersed with many In order to study results of this tone, two' varying speeds, some as low. as: 3fr m.ph, cnumlative darts are kept; one for fatal in one extremely mountainous section. AH accidents and .the. other for all- accidents. All accidents are spotted oo two maps. One curves with' critical speeds lower than foe zone speed are befog marked with their is' our regular .state spot. map.which serves. suggested speed. as a iwot of comparison between fofo and - other seetioos of the state. The other is a' The signing of tins zone is someriSat of) special strip map of this particular rood, . an^ experiment. We fdt that in order-to which-because, of its scales shows the exact gain foe confidence, of drivers; as to foe location where accidents occur in relation accuracy of our speed signs, we should adrise to the physical aspects of'the road; A study them of tbe; length of the restricted zones.. of this map reveals four instance that two-car A sign was devised that reads tads; "Speed collisions whichoccurredin im-passingzones 60 next'20 miles? with foe-word, ."speed* were reduced 71.4 per. cent the first year, reflectorized. Superimposed over,foe-60 are after establishing the zone. - reflector buttons in foe shape of 50..for night visibility. When the sighed speed is The following tabulation shows the trend .50 or less, foe numerals arcr reflectorized in aridcnts per ICO million edude miles, for in the normal manner. this section: . 1938 2907 . No zone s ; : These sighs are 3x5 feet with 8-inch letiters.and 15-mch numerals, painted black 1939 2527 Zone in operation 10 months with white border-and letters. 1940 2125 Full year We felt that foe words "Limit". and The year. 1939, wb3e showing only a 155 v**Miles per hotn* w lCFA were superflu- per cent decrease in reported -accents, otts and therefore left them off.., A person shows a 722 per cent decree in fatal .acci driving belowxfoe stated ^peed does not fed dents.' The eriablishment of.the xoo^.along obligated to speed up beyond his driving with the new method of striping no-passing ability but foe driver who is overrdrrring 2ones, no doubtfocused attention. to tins foestatedspeed certainly, does so know section by the police wad we feel that better ingly, We have been Using "speed so and reporting was obtained in 1939 and 1940 tion so," under our curve signs for about two dining preceding yean. years;- with good reaction. " On February 7,1940, a short step-down -The results of thfo/^l-ndlel speed zone speed zone was established oh UpS. 80 on U. S. .66 cannot be.estimated .now, since approaching Ythna. This zone is tmSqhe in. foe zone mgimig is jna* being completed. that foe speed limits are different for oppo The public reaction,however,.has. beta, good, site directions of traffic Also in this ase< vritii many favorable comments regarding foe we raised tire existing speed limit in order signs; We have had no criticism regarding .f 48 30th National Safety Congress , undue restrictions such as too Iov a speed, hut we have had some comment regarding too high a speed. On recheddng these points, we invariably find our signed speed, at or slightly tinder the 85 percental speed. We also have found that' temporary road conditions influence such comments relative: to a signed speed higher than reasonable.1 Sttch conditions, of coarse; should be signed to care for rite immediate problem and should not influence the general scheme. , One influential citizen living cm fins route; who is interested generally in highways, was asked his opinion of this zoning. His answer was this, "Regardless of what I think of it, the proof is that we have bad no serious accidents near our town since yon put up those, signs." Arizona has several high speed junctions where special signing has been necessary. These are not speed zones but are important contributions to accident prevention, through special attention to approach speeds. -The important thing at these high speed junctions isto inform the driver, as to route directions a sufficient distance bade of die point of deviation to allow him his choice before be arrives, at die junction point. This is 'done by enlarged advance junction signs and en larged destination signs at the junction. The destination signs usually show direction to one terminal point oneach leg of the junc tion. The nse of 20-inch reflectorized letters on six- or eight-foot signs has been most effective. A driver who knows in advance which way be is going before entering a junction can devote his attention to traffic conditions. This has been proven at one junction where three fatal accidents occurred within a year. This junction 're-signed with all enlarged signs and .3fcinch approach speed 35 m.pJi. signs. This tigering has been in effect about ooe jrejir now add np aeddents of any load have thus,far been reported. . Another high speed , junction was handled by the use of one.large biDboarl type sign simply showing route numbers and arrows. The trouble hire was at a point where two routes diverged,' tbe-major route making a right tum and the minor.roate continumg on tangent Travelers wereapt to miss the main route and find themselves many miles off direction doe to their inability to read the A. A. S. Hl 'O. standard destination signs. We finally took out all destination signs, leaving only the one large route sign, backed up with die standard advance junc tion signs. This apparently has cored a very annoying situation. , We fori that the less reading matter we have afjhiKitiamrdie better, but whatever is nsrikdi^hjtd in a prominent and i................ Another ideaWare'now trying for better speed control on isolated carves is the use of enlarged carve sign with the curve symbcdrriigfatiy.offstd from.nonnal to allow the reflectorized, words "Speed 50" (or 40 as the case may b6) to .be placed on the same sign in die crook of the arrow symbol. Where tried, these have been very effective in 36-inch size. . It is very important dot die wording size and position of iatiaiged signs. shall have very definite justification based onengineering study. Speed control by enlarged signing other titan speed zoning is even more exact ing and should never bedone promiscuously. Speed studies are essential in all such cases When Should Four-Way StppHCohtrol Be Used? By H. H. HABSISON Traffic Engineer, TBmoq Division of Highways, Springfield, UL Official signs are the basic tools of die traffic engineer to warn, regulate and direct traffic. They represent the connecting link between the traffic authority and. the public. Consequently, die prestige and effectiveness of traffic signs must be zealously guarded lest the public respect for them be cheapened. Among the various dassifications.of signs, perhaps stop, signs lave the most critical effect Thor are placed soldy for the pur pose of defining right of way, at-intersections. One might ask why such contool Is needed if the statutes or local ordinances provide for the legal use of the approach to. an inter section. The answer, of coarse; is that the vast majority of street and highway crow* 'sjscs?.'* r size have Street and Highway Traffic Section 49 lugs are unregulated by signs and the safe ists, knowing-the'intersection will .not be use of diem .depends upon rules of law influenced by the increased rise;,; For'tbis Idas driver conrtesy. There are, however,. group the only answer is enforcement - intersections' to condi tions `warrant the designation of preferential movements by control devices. It is die problem of die traffic authority to apply this control' selectively hi such a manner that die desired. benefits are obtained with out redwing the effectiveness of the method. Strip .signs have been applied ;m many different ways ranging from- stopping traffic on a single approadi to anintersection to the other extreme, of stopjdiv^tiaffic. on ril ap proaches. The most conunon usage and the one with which the motoring public is most familiar is the two-way stop. Drivers gen Several examples can he cited in which, the use of signs to define right of -way may be warranted. Sane of these are: erally; have .come to expeetthat important" streets, saving huge areas will; be given preferential treatment by step,-control. on the intersecting streets. The arterial street 1. Todesignate-a through traffic artery can easily be .misused, however, and it may for tminterruptedmovanent become more of a nuisance than % benefit Z To counteract sight distance limita if too many, streets are given preference. tions. 3. To designate preferential movements at Hie use of four-way stop control made isolated intersections having apprecia effective by. step signs; erected on all ap- ble volume of vehicular and' pedestrian traffic. 4. To limit excessive speed. 5. As an intermediate control .between driver discretion and mechanical reg ulation. .proaches to a normal intersection is rela tively new. This method is bring rapidly extended and.jraffic authorities are beginmng'to realize that-definite warrants*' such . as are applied in deternribring the need for mechanical regulation, sire also necessary to prevent its over-extension.. ~ Certain rules rixnild.be followed in the usetif stop sign control to gun the respect of motorists. (Otherwise, accidents result ing from violations will occur on a, large scales. There are two principal dements of dan ger, either of which might', result in wide spread misuse, of tbe four-way stop. First, die growing tendency, of locd. authorities to impose added restrictions upon drivers Recently, a trend has been in evidence because of die alarming increase in traffic toward the use of larger signs to gain added accidents. Second, it is tbe most inexpensive emphasis; die theory being "The larger sign, way of regulating , traffic on all approaches. die greater the degree of hazard." little proof, has yet been presented dot the in Lem Probabilityof Serious Accident* creased .size of a stop sign.has embed ' deliberate violations to.'any great , degree. . The four-way stop plan bas an additional A stody made in Illinois follovring the sub appeal; to^traffic authorities and a, consider stitution of 36-ifch rigs' for 24-inch signs able number of motorists. This popularity is has shown that"the percentage of cam mak based upon tbe likelihood. .of a single viola ing a full stop increased from 42 per cent to. tion of tworwaystop resulting in an accident, 63 per cent,thepercentage' mriting a.partial while two simultaneous violations of the or rolling stop, decreased from 49 per cent four-way^ stop earning:a serious; accident is to 26 per cent, leaving the deliberate viola so improbable as to be ahndst negligible. tions about die same,9 per cent to 11 per Accident statistics collected before mid after cent- ; r = - *,, installation of four-way.strip prove tbispoint Although the resultsobtamed in this study condnsively.In tbe minds of most persons, definitely justified the. tixTof tbelargersign, it may not be daimed ~that stopsigrTob- the, poridve effect of-four-way stop as com pared with the two-way type in preventing servance is; in direct proportion to the rise of the sign, nor thtt it- fa possible to obtain , aotidents. outweighs the advantages'; of the preferential treatment of the major, street complete driver cooperstionhy the nse of A, further comparison of four-way stop signs designed to- give-greater emphasis. with a signalized intersection pan be given It is quite probable that certain local motor from the experience at two intersections in ;i 1* l f" p} EH. i IAv ! . V" ' '" ` ' ." "\-.:-yZ--:>''':i 50 30th National Safety Congress Galesburg, IIL The traffic volumes fxt comparable. .Tbe accident record, reveals a number of pijoperty damage accidents at tbe signalized intersection withno accidents at the one controlled by stop signs. Taking these facts into account we,must next consider the basie purposes of four-way stop control. It has been applied commonly to serve, two ends. One, as a means of pre venting accidents at an intersection where traffic volume was not a. factor and, two, as a means of regulating traffic flow where die accident recohl was not a factor. . street approach a balance, the more helpful four-way shy can. become;1' . Stndies made byafieldengittecroftbe Illinois Division of Traffic Control have .re sulted hi tiie* deydopfooit of. an . empirical formula applicable wbere tbe .^ traffic hi an interiwetibn constitutes the prior dpal factor; The timwy./foyohnedOtitis- formula Is, in tbe detenmnation of tbe res tive interference valdesof a.vehicle on the major streettraversing aatatersectiopas compared with a vehicle onthe secondary treetcrosslng tiie intersection,idler, stopping at a stop sign. . In die first instance* it is extremely diffi cult to select locations where four-way stop can be justified on the sole grounds of accident prevention.. If every driver would stop at every stop sign and yield the rightof-way as required by law, the problem would be reduced to the selection of inter sections where aids control is justified on 'the basis of'traffic regulation. Accidents at Assuming fos* a. car approaches an inter section alongthemajm'stroetata of 20 miles per. tear, it vriU;./tike seconds for it to tmverseaxote'bfinflaence' <S0 feet long. Tteininimum time required for a vefSfo- sto|^ H<fo(*ttiie secondary street to cross' tiie same 60-foot.zone is as seconds, indndingcoe second .of reaction time and five seconds of tiavel time. . - . intersections under two-way stop .control usually result from violations or other causes, rather from any need.for auxiliary controlTo correct such condition by foe'addition of stop signs to other approaches tberefy confuses the weakness of enforcement and represents an attempt to enforce the law by' erecting more signs. Since h is impossible Thrn a vehidestopped cmttesecoodary street toWs long' to cross'foie intersection as dobs a moving vehicle on the major street; and its interference valoe-is. therefore tiute times, as great. In develop- ing the fomiula it is necessary to' solve for the Mcoeffidentof interference?: which'' is designated by foie letter ^L". .The equation to predict the locatkm-wberefoenextstop is then defined as sign violation will Crfcsul$' in an^aocident, it would not be entirely^unreasonable to argue jssym+oys that four-way stop is justified atN^st intersectiona on the accident prevention Of course, soch a radical step would. down the efficiency of our street and 1 Vm and Vs ate foe maxinuim boorfy week-day vtdmnes E of traffic (exin hundreds) entering foe intersec tion along foenmiijor andsecoodary streets - system and abandoned. such thought should be totally'' Thete mumnim hourly volumes are almost,always found to occur be- - tween the hoarsofdjp. m. and 6 p. m. Hence, In the second case, it is possible to de a short count will nsttofl|y suflke in detorvelop warrants based on traffic, volume of . mining ftescccuiij for. sochcodlroL, each approach.. In this the situation is&m? From abier^^ ilar to the theory of mechanical regulation ' that .no ^ Emwnwn except that discretionary judgment of motor-, tenr^r wtonapf ;ice-'' ists in substituted for tire mechanical direc- quires four-way: stop control; . but _ .that:' .a tion of movement. ntnxAerof interscctkmswitfa volumes sis low Similar warranto to those used injustify- as 850 .vriudes do justify ^. . ing traffic signal control may be used hi, The value offoe Vm and V* givii;foe checking the need for four-way stop control. greatest value of .I n an '^tual dhriskm of The percentage of flow on the primary and traffic. Usingfoe, minimum. total volume of secondary arteries governs larg^y tire need 750 vehfocstitegwifamim yaloe af li15. for regulatioa. Observations have indicated This "coefficient of mterforeoce^ foen repro- that tiie nearer the traffic volumes on each sento the mtuhnim-iadeB. figure warranting ` W. * *" * . , 4 ` ; 1 t . - irfHt r tulAj ' -!VV^rffcHhrViriaVVfr.I** Street and Highway Traffic Section 51 f<mt*way stop and. volumes developing a greater index would probably justify its use Tbe.law in most stales reqmres that a vehicfe'be brought: to' a foil. stop Wanfcter- scctiohcontrolltobys^ Eitforce- meitt': p^ftsei; vary, .tiowefer&m. reibojpimqg a Tolln;^.stopi'as a .iccsnpln^ the law/ .S^ at^ibmes accept a gear shift change M^evidence1ofobedience if; the speed of the vehicle Is approximately live, miles per hour/or less and there is nolikelibood of- interference with other traffic. Where this is done* die delay and inconvenience factors are reduced to. a miflimtinvbdt there is a daiiger of cncoutagfegyra violations.hy such liberal interp^tion. y The stopsign isa -valuable unit .in. pur system of. traffic regulation Itj^fbe^jwwd'. to. the dist^t adyahtageNof. tberaotoring public or itmay become an. no^tigated;mii> since. Upon toe selective nse of the stop sign by tbe; traffic engtoeto and tbe reasooable enforcement of its indication by the police rests its effectiveness. Tr^e'l^b^ *'By VIBDEN A. RITTGERS;' City TrafficltngineertRidimoe^y^ Most of ns. do. not know mochaboutthis 1 'mMIWDOSB i yunqmg subject becaoseWe bavie lad `no acftnlex- perience with tlm pitiblan and cxtomilitary autboritiesare notyetrtsufyto releaseigen- worry abirotMacto-outo'np^^ comes eraliy, such ditto hsshiaye'.,been accumulated - we' can easily tnm toeyl^d^ off.* : Omi of and die. cohtiasSoas readied as-a. remit of the real prdblemvasl sbaQ tty to show, is thcir expcrinicnts and rcseardi. I can assure how; best'to, prd^de;(die'''s!Mipiiinw; femu* yoodjatcidrWar Deportment has :been and nUr ilevd of fllmuiration aikl ligbt iadica-. .is i~ tions,. fotir'.gEie.-pwotiectjtoto-;{^?mESc^,'uandL' how - best.to mala op for the decrtosed illtrmina- I ahallr.i&nit. itafe discussion tobladc-out tkm. ?: /.y -~'[y .-- inLondoo or Berlin, tor example; That is, oatjo the theater of ?Urderljr advanced planning ito/traifo. in : Madwrats wjUredoo:^^^ . prodnetfafo from. yineBMai^'yey^miBbt' "and' It ;is;;inteirestlng to note dot a,::secopd 'n^teri^'a^wa^'^hdii^.. t- school oi tboughthas sprung up ohtbepro-; tectioaofvrital areas from hostile air attack. We know" that ;pea^tiiM^.ta I refer to the Tigbl-ruft",mii^ exposure in ourcoontryis threeto fourtnnes . gteaterat^ England ' has been termed: ^ghure camouflage" because dm object it to Nindtheeneniy dyers and to distortor falsify the physkal tey^ the - dyeffit I-'ratber'street, tfaattegardless of totaredeydoiimeiito r^ ffie 'b!ack-<jut -and thelight-up;oor technicians Wxfl apply both infirture'warfcu*;-;'-' - total.traffic acadents s^t^'abdto.;'2S;^.`cent Jitditoiwar:cifih^^ ;tfm&'<itf;ffife:.'jBfaI^r~ 'y' ' months occur..daring '.ti^.b^^Tonto-yi'O^) taMythesefactecdnsti^^ , . i^^whatmightySi^tr cmcmFshortoiinlcss .3L.tredMniotovcm^J^^ tre- We; shouldbear; mnriixi thatroblack-out ipdre;pr^tetonattirailndn^^ of a dtyy^teal^^ ex .becanse"- of: gasoline^^driredn^nuyand pected. to rednto ttecj^tOivmiess -ofaeria} , dimhadtmrfvnonmsi^^ bombardment.;.-Yet-,any..- ittatked reduction h fear. rund thrcm^i goyertoniai!^ night dhaffinatkid%vrin/dtorSm'treffieiidqmihr .. Secondly, :we must ati lea^ hope that there thecfBdtocypf^ wotfd.lma^ redra . weUmay;^ forih- - PQduC UmUyttUatyPCtSCDl, aUllUQC JGUflOOSt 01 stance;:if;actial Utck-cntts oooK;to.pass in- ' indifference towsirdstr^c tofety.asaresnlt onr country. df^dm'1. shbdning power of sudi a /stotoe'  rS f\! fcl 52 J0/# National Safety Congress change from the routine of customary, traffic ping vehicles, or fixed sign installations, with conditions. i : special mercury vapor lamps will probably be inmracticable... Principal Elements of Protection . Phosphorescent signs offer a definite pos The principal elements of traffic protection in black-outs will involve no more nor no less-, than our old familiar three E's: Engineering, with special applications for emergency situa sibility. Their limitations, accordng to Cap. tain Warren S. Evoett, U. S. Army, will be shortness of effective life and poor distance legibility. tions and with creative thinking and design Self-illuminated signs, a device I think at a premium; Enforcement, perhaps more in greatly in need of more extensive use today, the form of supervision and direction with appear to offer the greatest possibilities. Sudt auxiliary forces playing a large part; and signs may be of foe.fixed or portable type, Education, not only with respect to new reg with self-contained battery. All such signs ulations and devices but very much with re will require adequate light. shielding. There spect to age-old safe practices which must he is no question but that this sign can be made taken off the shelf and be given a good . . adequate for'numerous important uses such as dusting. Street marking is a common-place measure of traffic control It Is doing an effective job designating one-way routings which obvi ouslymust be unmistakable. - > An important factor not to be overlooked is today where intelligently applied. Under feat directional or information traffic signs in black-out conditions there must be an in or near a theater of war must be of a type creased and more thorough application. The easily removed or destroyed in event of enemy obvious reason jis the lower order of illumi advances. nation. Obstructions, such as islands and' pedestals, and curbs, most be more plainly Traffic Signals marked. Guide.; lines, crosswalks, etc, must be made more visible. White crosses on the pavement to identify intersections is a current practice in England. Use of phosphorescent paint is reported bring experimented with. Its inherent weakness is its characteristic of spending itself--of losing its "glow" power. Highly reflective paint such as that contain ing minute glass beads will be especially help ful under greatly reduced headlight intensi ties. . y' Effective traffic signing in black-outs pre sents another special problem. Conventional type reflector signs,.accordtng .to recent tests we made in Richmond, will have a fair de gree of effectiveness at low speeds for beam candle powers in the neighborhood of 200 to 250 maximum. British AJLP. specifications provide a maximum of 2S0 beam candle Traffic signals, beacons and floodlights present a problem of "toning down" rather than increasing their visibility. Here will certainly bean opportunity, in some instances perhaps tin first, for traffic engineers to ggf rid of those unwarranted signals which were installed on thebasis of political expediency alone. Signals which are important during the daytime but little needed after dark should be turned off at night Signals operating during black-oats must be masked and .shielded. The Brtub use an opaque tense wifh.a vertical cross in .the up per half having arms only % inch wide. There has been some experimenting, both abroad and here, with voltage reduction' through auxiliary transformers. Apparently < this tystemlas. not yet been placed in use power or 2J> foot candles at 10 feet A type abroad. An important factor in any plan^of of letter for signing which gives substan reducing light intensities atnightis the need tially greater legibility than flat of our cur of retaining normal intensities for daytime rent standards has been developed.' Here is operation. The daffy placing and removal of certainly a!typical example of the benefits of . special masks for each signal lease by-the advanced planning. switching finm normal to low voltage gives some idea of'just one of the numerous oper Traffic signs painted with fluorescent paint,. ating problems. Automatic switching would visible under lamps emitting only tise near- call for expensive equipment not needed nor ultraviolet rays, may conceivably find prac mally. Each- location so controlled would ticable application, but the expense of equip- . have to be chcriced for mechanical orelectri- *5 - ift& S R S f& B g a r e * a ^ s ? as a /' "\ ) with ly be pot* Capill be lance dunk odagr. Such fype signs rhere made. chas obvi- '! ) Street arid Highway Traffic Section S3 cal-failure: Manual switehingor placing and removal of masks would require the time and attention of a considerable crew. Another plan consists of Installing sepa rate, auxiliary signal heads to be switched on for night operation. This phut will likely prove impracticable because of greater ex* pense and investment The amatory heads, however, would not need to be of permanent construction. - ' The shielding of signal light indications by use of extra long hoods hasitslimitations be cause of the sharp restriction of visibility to approaching drivers, especially on multi-lane streets. Provision should be made for auxiliary power and control hook-ups for intercon nected signal systems to protect against ciom. plete failure in- event of destruction of the mam control point. , tance to traffic-protection of asmall ainount of illumination. Yon can demonstrate this easify sometime on at' deserted; dark street by. pmrku% with lights cmt until your eyes become adapted to the dsvmdtkn driving a few yards with the lights still out-Pq this once under star tight only. Then tfy it again under star tight plus moon tight Yon will readily appreciate die tremendous value of moon light--a relatively small amount of fight, in terms of street illumination. The problems in street lighting ' under black-outs, in order to .prevent aerial: dis cernment; are: To shield the tight source properly; to reduce intensities and control distribution to jvbere pavement brightens is hot too great; to darken adjacent reflective surfaces; and to shield the light rays from striking adjacent water or other reflective surfaces which for special reasons cannot be darkened. Operation of flashing beacons, signs, etc, would present generally die same problems as "Staff* and "Go" signals. It is probable, however, that a large number of such devices we use in our American cities could be turned off permanently; to be replaced by more ade quate signing and marking. Obstruction marker lights nevertheless will have their place for important locations. Use of blue tights for- such purpose has generally been considered most suitable However, very re cent experiments indicate flat a' red light source may be even better than blue from the standpoint of visibility when viewed by driv ers, yet giving off a minimum of illumination which might be seen from the air. According to foreign practice and to ex periments made in the United States, street tight intensities must be reduced to a Star tling low level. French black-out require ments are the most severe with 100015 foot candles average (I `haven't the figures oh their maximum). German requirements per mit the highest intensities with .0008 average and .001 foot candles maximum.. British AJIP. specifications fall between these two until .0002 average; and .0004' foot candles imxiHiiUin.. These are roughly foe level of star light, without a moon. This gores yon a practicable idea of permissible street lighting tinder black-outs. It is interesting to compare tins with the currently recommended stand Traffic floodlights as used commonly to illuminate traffic islands,; obstructions, etc, could easily be shielded to prevent discern ment of the light source from above Here, however, we ..encounter another problem-- that of pavement or surface brightness discemable to enemy flyers. This - problem will be discussed in connection with street lighting. ard of good practice for lighting medium traffic, residence streets, which is 0.4 foot candles, average^ or. just ljOOO times greater than the black-oat maximnnv Starlight and moonlight are natural aids in illtmunation but onfy to a very, limited extent because of cloudy weather and the small portion of time winch the moon is bright Such street tights, even with all their dimness, should still be l visualised as marking intersections dr de ' Street Lighting lineating a street for a few blocks, at least * We may be prone particularly in the case and offering a sense of-security to drivers. of street lights, to over simplify die problem It appears itbat earlier efforts abroad em by dunking the lights could be.turned off. In bodied more or less make-shiftrevision of or fact, according to reports, many street tights attachments to, conventional* street fighting .are turned off, especially in Rome Bid here equipment- Later developments ; brought again it should be realised that the lower die -about new, scientifically designed A.RJP. level of itirnnhation, die greater die impor units, with involved, technical specifications- .A .taTfA.y*z -;rv tv*. > 54 30th National Safety Congress applying to intensities, distribution, mounting It would he even more important then, for heights, etc. - the protection of traffic in black-outs, to vi Street lighting systems will require greater . decentralization of control in order to lessen die possibility of large areas or sections (even the entire system in smaller communities) bring .pat oat of commission by bombing talize our sound but poorly observed traffic rules of long standing. Speeds wotdd-have to be brought down to a new level. Consider the British regulation of 70 mph. in built-up areas at night attacks. * . - Another major factor is the modi poorer judgment of speed-in the dark becanse rela Vehicle Lights Hsdtnig tive motion is largely blacked out. It; occurs -Still another problem is that of vehicle lights and markings. The several foreign to me that a 20 mph. speed would be too fast ' except in special casts, for reasonable safety. powers concerned directly with black-outs While parking as we think of it today have various specifications applying to head would not existunder war black-outs, never lamps, rear and side lamps, interior lighting, theless, it would be more than ever necessity stop signals and turn indicators. I shall not. to prevent parking near comers, crosswalks, go into detail on all these. You will probably traffic signs, etc. be interested in the British headlamp regula tions. They use only one headlamp and re quire it to be fitted with a mask having There would naturally be many new regu lation to obey in addition to the old ones which wdhave hot beta obeying. They would tn ws F' inch vertical slots with their top ends not pertain to speeds, parking, vehicular equip above the level of the light source. Intensities ment, hours of operation, etc. must be kept below 2S0 beam candle power, maximum, and there are candle power limita- The staggering of store opening and dos tions for various angles both horizontal and vertical. Since pavement brightness is here again a factor, the specifications set maxima for the candle power for certain angles below the horizontal as wdl as above. ing hoars to lessen and spread out. the peak hour congestion, is another well-known bat little nsed device. It is being applied increas ingly in foreign cities in tbe interest of better early evening traffic regulation.. The tests, previously referred to, which we made in Richmond-in connection with!a black-out driving test for the Women's Voltmtary Motor Corps, indicated that head The added harden of new. regulations and increased emphasis on old ones means in creased police personnel and large supple mental forces or auxiliary officers. ( Pt lamp equipment meeting the British regula tion would illuminate conventional, reflectortype traffic signs to a fairly satisfactory de gree up to approximately 100 feet. Our pedestrians most surely would have to look out for themselves to a greater extent than they do now--largely by the simple ex pedient of adapting sound pedestrian prac if;. Again, when we talk of 250.beam candle tices. The old-rule of wearing or carrying power headlighting, it is interesting to recidl. something while in color would be on the that our automobiles manufactured during re "most" list cent years come out equipped with headlamps giving maxima of 50,000 to 75,000 beam can dle power and the Uniform Vehicle Code fixes a maximum limit of 75,000. 'While the comparison seems almost ridiculous, let us re member that vehicular lights in a black-out, dim as they are, have the important function of marking tile vehicle. Also that the reduced glare effect from other vehicles and lights in creases the net effect of the low order of illumination. I think we can now appreciate tbehnge task; and its importance; of education and training tojneet the challenge of traffic un der Mack-oats, if catastrophe is to.be avoided. Certainly the entire forces and agaicies of the coftmmnity must be mobilized .as never before. And it should not be overiooked that,.^ first; the tzabnng and. snperrishtg agenrics.of tire community most be mobilised as never be fore. And. it shook! not be overlooked that, first; the training and supervising agencies Ahotfaer protective measure practiced in and crews themselves would have to be Britain is to paint the iramgenTanfl edges of trained. running boards white. V Fleet operators who are today expanding -\ Street and Highway Traffic Section 55 (heir safety programs would find, unde^tbuT: lem. The effective blacking out.of Chicago new, operating condition, still greater divi proper would be of little-value if the adjacent dends from sOdi efforts..For example, would and abattmgnranidpal corporations did a it. not be wise to.especially examine and se poor jobor failed to black-out in-time. It: is lect drivers for night operations on the basis a most usual thing for one public , service of die degree to which their eyes become. company to provide light and power through darkness adapted. an extensive distribution system to several little has been written or said about rural highway traffic in connectioh with black-outs. It goes without saying that vehicle lights must remain tinder black-oat regulations on adjacent communities. Thus, the revision of the lighting system is a problem of tbe .entire community, irrespective of political boundary lines. rural highways, dse they present to die enemy pilot , a "road map" of the area sur rounding his vital target. And thus on these ruql roads, continucs tfac vital need of ade quate signs and markings and a new order of care on die part of drivers and pedestrians. It is easily seen that black-out regulations must and will be under control ofthe Federal Government. The War Department and the Office of Civilian Defense are already work ing to this end. Sometime within the near future we can expect announcements and ' Coordination between adjacent jurisdic issuance of certain data which will be most tions in planning for, and operating under, hdpfiil to those of us who might be con war black-outs is another aspect of the prob cerned directly with the problem. . )etr re to -- : ex>racying the Mge and : tm|^|p|r ' *..Of tCfCf that, cs.of rbefhat. Dries > be ding WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION October 8,1941 ; Group Session on Public Education and Safety Organization Proving:--Ca*l J. Rutland, President Texas Safety Association, Inc, Dallas, Texas. H/ - i Preparing the Public for Enforcement By BLIOT NESS Director ol Public Safety, Cleveland, Ohio .. Ifyouwere to be arrested for a traffic make people enjoy enforcement. You can, violation as you leave here today, how wotdd however, take some of the stmg out of it yon fed? Would yon take it with a. smile, to the print where they will accept it or would you fed highly indignant?--You philosophically. can take my word for ft that unless you had been previously put in the proper frame of mind for enforcement, you would resent it The most important step is to under stand'how tiie public and the police have fdt toward each cither in the past; and to K<thb is true among ns-who,study and make every effort to correct these impres preach' safety;how much more true must it sions. - Before the advent of the automobile, be among the average citizens who give little police officers., concerned themselves only tboogktc to the. subject? No. matter, how with the criminal dement and the unruly broad-minded people are; no'one enjoys any neighborhood tough. Handling these types restthint of-wbai he cansidere; personal: lib* of persons quite frequently called for force. erties. It is always qitite .easy to find an Badc.ib the old days, a policeman had to be accuse that wifl justify our; own actions, tough; to survive. The' public therefore was at least to our. own nrfnd. It is always the ; anhmarifally a rithCT l&W abid other fellow who b the virions violator. ; ing or of the criminal typ^ bbtb hy theni- Rest assured gentlemen, tiiat .you.cah never sdves and by the police.' If you were, in the rift [ j::. k. & -. w>.y-<i,.<vKc*^v^rStv^P V 56 30th National Safety Congress law-abiding class, yon resented any contact general rule, local civic bodies do not have with the law for fear your neighbor might the personnel or tim# to do the Job com infer yon harbored criminal tendencies. You pletely, even though they might be well -In might have spoken politely to the officer as formed. However, it is vitally important that he passed your gate but you never invited these chic bodies-back up the police depart him to enter into your social affairs, and ment in its educational endeavor, and raider if yon were the average parent yon-used every assistance possible, for .thepublic will his presence to frighten your children. not be inclined at first to take this interest During the past 20 years a great change has been taking place, which both the public and the enforcement bodies have been slow' to recognize. Crime has become the lesser part of a policeman's duties and the regula in their welfare by the police seriously. Police departments.should by all means co operate closely with the local safety, council, or,- if there be none, with any other local organization pledged to promote safety. tions of tire 'so-called law-abiding citizen .The second reason whylbelieve the police has become his greatest responsibility. 'Ac department should educate, the public- is the tually less than 10 per cent of a police good that it witi -accomplish . in breaking department's time today is devoted to the down this old barrier between the enforce suppression of crime. I classified these peo ment bodies and the public. The quicker ple a moment ago as so-called law-abiding people leant that die police department Is citizens. That is their impression' of them 3s much interested in keeping than out of selves. Actually if they were law-abiding, jail as it is in arresting them, the qmdeor they would not need the ministrations of the they will be to respond to the necessary police. However, we must concede at the enforcement Rest assured, die public will start that everyone needs regulation. not stand for any enforcement that it does not willingly accept The Eighteenth Amend The fact that some of our citizens are' not ment was a shining example of that law-abiding is quite often the fault of the law-enforcement agency.. Back in the old Fundamentally, people fell into one of days , it was relatively simple for a person three classes from die standpoint of edu to know when he was doing wrong because cation.- First there is that group of people crimes were generally a matter of morals trim either through intelligence or. fear, see which everyone was expected to understand. ' the handwriting on the wall and mend their . Today we have more laws and regulations ways without any coaxing or pushing. Sec than any one person could ever hope to ond,. there is the.group who are from Mis be familiar with. People are further handi souri. They are willing to accept a proposi capped by the fact that different states may tion, but onty after its worth has been, have conflicting laws. And so itis that we proven. Third, there Is that group which are quite frequently called upon' to arrest must be literally slapped in die face before people who honestly do hot know what it is it understands and conforms. Within this all about Enforcement agencies have beat .group will be found the non-conformists who prone to mouth the expression that "ignor violate the law justliecause it is the law ance of the law is no excuse." This is just and for no other reason. Three different a poor excuse for- dodging the responsibility methods.of education will be necessary'to of properly informing the public as to their reach all three of these groups. obligations. Personally, I feel that the responsibility PoBce Officers Host Know the Law for educating and preparing the public for Proper enforcement is an education in it enforcement should fall primarily oh the self. It is probably die best approach to police department In the first place they are Group One, and it is the most -important to enforce the regulations, and therefore, they , step. But proper enforcement entails modi know best what the public should be told. preparation and study. The first step in this I think the history of safety will disclose direction is to make sure the officers in yout all too many instances when well-meaning community are entirely familiar with the but terribly misinformed civic groups have laws they enforce. This may sound ridicu attempted to guide the destinies of a com lous, but unless your department has been munity's safety only to end in chaos. As a recently trained or retrained, you . will un- Br r o ` r O N v s & < 4 n . e >i B e a t n ii e .a .tz o -&*. 1 k.) ple r see flidr Sec* Misposibecn rbkh store this. who ' law mat y to m n it* b to rtant much this ywt the dicubeen un Street and Highway Traffic Section 57 doubtedly have some officers who hate an implore you to use your, newspapers more entirely erroneous conception of certain laws. freely. It is the one greet medium through Yon . will also find that there are probably which the public can be kept advised of your many .officers who will stop s motorist for progress! Take .the secrete out of foe police a violaliohand then are undented as to what department and .you will find both the news he' should becharged with. Thisindedsion papers and the public more, inclined to agree' is total to. an enfonwneat pipgram. If cer- with yon. -Thy are as modi coiKtrari tain violatiotu aretbbe overlooked, have a about this matter of traffic as you are and definite understanding with 'all the men in they are entitled to know what is going on. yonr police department so that some do not ' During that same year we adopted the prac- arrest for tins violation whileothers over tice of warning the public at least two wteks look ft." Strive*'to"'impress upon arresting in advance of any proposed campaign or officers the absolute necessity for bring cour change of potite* This pnctice dote modi teous and impersonal while making the -ar~ to establish confidence in the police depart* resfc. A nonchalant and polite officer takes tnent^because no one' likes to be trapped all-of.^ the argument out of' a would-be* without warning. It took a good year to ..offended motorist. Strive for a 100 per cent get all of the machinery of a proper en conviction record. . People should not be ar>. forcement program into working order and rested unless they are. guilty, and if .they very little was accomplished in die way. of are guiltjr.theyshould be conrictedregard- obvious -improvement during tbis period. lessof their , affiliations. If you want the Tbis type of arforcemenfjwas an education cooperattonof die pcddk, and you will never in itself to die large. teccentage of die succeed without it, you must prove to them, public who fall into Group One.- Thy saw that die courts . and > the polite have no that the police department was sincere and favorites ; that fixing is taboo and that equal determined. They appreciated the fact that justice is befog administered to all. everybody was bring treated alike and they Finally, , do not encourage yonr arresting officers' to hide behind comers to effect an arrest Faint traffic cars in soda a'manner that, everybody can recognise them. Prove to yonr public that what you want is obe dience to the traffic rogidatioas rather than a lot of arrests for violations. Yon wffl still find plenty of people to arrest and those you do find vrifl have little argument. . The tilings I have outlined are but a few of the points necessary to proper enforce* inert, but they are die gmt inmtetant things from the viewpoint of the pfi^&iR>r the benefit ot those'of you wf&m4$tbe in* dinerf to dqnbt.my words, Iask.ouy that you review* the record of Cleveland. Prior to 1937 our department needed all of the quickly fell in line witbthe trend. i For Group Two a little more strenuous program was necessary. Hade up of busi ness people and die more intelligent classes for the most part, they represent many of these to whom lad been accorded spteial privileges in the past,, as well as those free thinkers who are. always ready to give you an argument Within this , learned group could be found the man who would whisper confidentially in your-car, `You're bumping your head up against a bride wall. There always have teen accidents and there always i nothing you can do will stop them.** Jyon know, you have to have a good sent foflbat kind of a bird. A much better argumentjhan you would have to use dungs that I have ortlinctoas necessities to on most peopforbecatue be has already made a proper enforcement campaign. During this up his mind, that die situation is hopeless. period our arrests for moving violations But you can changehim if yon try. It is averaged between BfiOO arid 10,000 per year with Utter complaints bring registered, in a good many cues. 'Then in 1937 we trained your job to' present the necessary facts in a logical, convincing iinanner. There are a great many ways in which this can be done. our traffic., officer* we established accident Radio programs are a great help. Safety investigation squads, we painted onr traffic slides and movies play a big pah in break can red, white and bine so that they could ing down the resistance of this second line be seen for a mile and we madch H a policy ot mcricftflcc. dip DOftftifl^ poitcrVf. itttfft* to keep tfc,pid>lic informedas to every move tore, as well as persona! contact is utilised we were making through the* newspapers. . in this phase of toe program to prepare toe And while I am on the subject, let .me . public for enforcement. -m i ic\k . 'v7V} My~'! 58 30th National Safety Congress In Qeveland, even this phase of the edu cational program is . conducted mainly by the police department under the guidance and direction.of the local Safety Council and ably supported by other civic institutions. We have created a bureau of public rela tions within the police/department whose sole function is to establish and maintain healthy relations with the public and to promote safety education.. The bureau is equipped and a multitude of other smaller things necessary to carry on a good cam-, paign. Much of this equipment was pro vided <by the Greater Qeveland Safety Council.. Police officers with the ability to speak have been selected for this division and address any type of audience from a school room to a board of directors. During 1938, the first year of the bureau's existence, over a million pieces of literature were dis tributed. Frankly the public was'amazed to see a police officer get up before a grotty and talk intelligently on any subject. Their . amazement changed to wonder ami wonder to admiration until before many months it was almost impossible to meet the demands for speakers. The good will engendered by these few apostles of safety was shared and felt by the entire department. This line of endeavor too played an important part in the success of 1938 and modi credit for the success of enforcement, which I mentioned before, may be given to this form of edu cation. We now come to that, Htfurdt) group of people who have been our greatest problem. Within this grottp will be fraud the illiterate driver, the anti-social individual who may harbor other criminal tendencies, the traffic moron and many of oUr youth who consider themselves a law unto themselves. Tins group represents a minority of the drivers, but a majority of those drivers who become involved in accidents. They sure easily segregated because the court records will usually show that they have a long list of violations. What to do with tins type of person is quite a problem and necessitates the dose cooperation of the courts with the police de partment In Qeveland we 'have perfected a record systan which permits' the court to know the history of every defendant at a glance. Perhaps you are wondering what good it does to prepare a man for'enforce ment after he has been arrested. Remember that this type of person has been arrested many times before, and it is hi the hope that we will stop this habit that action is taken. Special .consideration of these cases by the courts have in many instances brought re sults. Frequently a strong lecture by., the judge together with a short suspension of' his privilege to drive have prodoced results. In other instances it has been necessary to hang a suspended Jail sentence over the driver's head for a year to .make him see the light. .Another thing that we have done in Qeveland in an effort to reach tins type' of person was to establish a violators' school To my mind this has been highly successful Even with this third group, which is basically anti-social ignorance, is generally responsible for their getting into trouble. Through tins. school it has been possible to change foe attitude of many of these individuals to wards enforcement and thereby make better and safer citizens ont of them. I will not go into the mechanics of foe violators* school, for that is a huge subject Suffice it to say that the records show tbat people who have been before the court with surprising regu larity in tire past have mended their ways since attending this school Selective Safety Education By HARRY BARSANTEE Supervisor, The Travelers News Bureau, Hartford, Conn. Aren't we guilty many times of hunting for oar converts in the easy places, instead of in foe darker places where it may take more work but where oar chances of success are much greater? If we were selling smoking tobacco, in stead of safety, and if we had a nominal ad vertising budget. Pm sure we would study our media pretty carefully. We wouldn't spend many of oar advertising dollars in 1 .. r ( t v S t t c t c v c t e a t t t a a I f a < a J a 1 i i 1 i 1 i I ! . *1 1 r < I i i i I i ome isHy will t of au lose dected oort t at shat. >rcenber sted tot ilrwi. the : re...fhe b of' alts. y to the done type Ofej: si. cally able ! the : to* ettcr : not hoed, > say have Tgoways i, inI ad* ttady Bdn't rs in Street and Highway Traffic Section 59 The-Ladies Home Journal and. certainly none of them at all in Wee Wisdomor the Girfs Companion. If we had a lot of money to spend we might spend a little of it in a women's magazine; using ads which sug gested to women that, oar brand of smoking tobacco was 30 per cent less/Ukely to bum holes in the rags orthat science lad proved oar tobacco 18-per cent more fragrant than the other fear leading brands, bat we would coocenfrate oo the men's magazines. And we'd even- go. farther than that--we would concentrate on magaaines read by those men mostlflcdy to smokepipes. When yon spendtime,moy and effort educating members of the women's dobs, die service dobs and die parent-teacher associa tions (where the light is better) yoor pro gram is oat of balance. Not that those groups don't need some education, bat they aren't yoor Best media. "By- and large, they are Intelligent and lawabidfog. ThcyTl listen politely, hot you've got to be .pretty good to give them anything new. Incidentally, it has always bothered me dot the best material ever, printed on die subject of safely has appeared in such publications as Atlantic Monthly, Harpers, The Near York Times and The Christian Science Jfomtor--publica tions which are read by fotksywboneed the information least Thetsame material printed in Spicy Stories; orJPmhGun Western, I think, would save many more fives. Selective education, to me, means reaching the segment of population which needs it most at any. given time, .with a type of in formation planned for that particular group. I don't suppose it is reasonable for us to hope to be able to do die job with the effi ciency that an advertising agency lays oat an advertising campaign, but certainly we can work in that direction. Let's see, using Hartford as an example, how. these advertis ing techniques can be applied. While we have tried to apply selective edu cation in all the special campaigns we have undertaken, perhaps oar. most tborough-gofog jobwas in connection with last year's pedes trian safety drive. ASafety Survey America has become very conscious of polls and.surveys lately. So we started with a survey. ' These are the dungs we decided we would have to know: 1. Winch groups in the city most needed education in safe pedestrian practices. 2. Where these groups lived. ; 3. The type of information they needed most 4. How we could get this information to than. I don't know any community safety organ ization which has a- lot of money to spend. I don't even know any which has anywhere near enough. Ifs mighty important then, dot every dollar spent for safety education should do lOO cents' worth of work in reach ing the people who need to be readied. The people who sue going to have accidents next week or next month are our customers. We can't afford to talk safety, with the,limited tune and money at our disposal, to the folks who aren't going to get into accidents any way. Money to Spend I fed that the avenge safety education campaign falls down on two points: 1. The safety message itself is too general 2. The methods of disseminating it are too generaL : In other . words, most safety education. definitely is not selective. We made'two spot maps.of die dty, one showing the location of all pedestrian acci dents for the past year; die other sbowmg die residence of all pedestrians involved in aincifcori,drme.np--tfts*i.n--aT' hese mops yield some surpe risin g The residence map showed heavy concern*. tratibns in two. sections of the dty. These areas represented 13 per cent of the entire city area and hoosed.26 per cent of the city's population, and were die scene of 39 per cent of all pedestrian accidents in the past twelve months. We found these areas -were composed largely of people of foreign extraction whose incomes fell in the lowest bracket Illiteracy was found m 25 per cent of those over 45. A tabulation by ages of injured pedestrians showed that die age group needing attention above all others consisted of adults 45 or older. 60 30th National Safety Congress We found, too, that there is a definite re* than the death of a thousand Chinese souk* latronship between the age of die pedestrian wherein Asia* involved in an accident and die distance from die scene of the accident to his home. Older pedestrians were almost invariably struck We also listed just five precautions which these people should take in walking. within a couple of Mocks of home; indicating quite clearly diat they needed education about die street conditions within die immediate vicinity of their residences, conditions; they knew existed but which, through their fa* miliarity with them, had lost for them any threat of danger. . y Then we simply flooded the area with these folders; delivering them, right into'die houses wherever . possible. We were aided greatly in this effort by agents of the Metro politan, John Hancock, and Prudential in surance companies. These men. made it a point to leave a leaflet at each stop on their We found, too, that most otme accidents' collection routes and many of diem took die in these areas were the result of fotr or five time to read the folder to those they knew specific pedestrian violations or bad practices. oooldn't read it themselves. There are other groups; of course; which might cooperate in Something Dramatic such a concentrated campaign.. One dunks, Having answered the first three questions, - immediately of meter readers. Boy Scoots only one remained, how to get tiie . informs- and so on. don to them--and yre spent qmte some dme You may say that m tins campaign we working on it. neglected a large portion of the. pribtio-- The newspapers? Sure, but they weren't seventy-five per cent, in fact--but tills wasn't avid readers of newspapers. true. We had the usual newspaper and radio The radio? Sure, hot too many of them didn't own sets. - tie-ups, the talks to local chibs' and so on. - But the very fact that we concentrated on this one area, and that we bad so many inter Talks in churches and clubs? Too many esting farf and figures, actually tnoie news of them belonged to neither. and we obtained more cooperation from the press and the radio than we mqdit otherwise No, we decided We would have to prepare have had. something dramatic, but simple and explicit then actually put it in their hands and tell "Before!? and "After" them to read it or have their children read it to them. Then for good measure tell tiiem, if possible;, what was in it I don't like to quote "before" and `Rafter'* figures because I don't dunk they mean a great deal without an tnkonsdonable amount We prepared a simple folder, so we could of explaining. Furthermore; I don't think a afford to have a lot of diem. We didn't call one-week or a one-month campaign proves it Pedestrian Safety, or Walk with Care, or very much. Ids die long putt tint counts*-* anything like drat We got right down to die steady effort along intdligent lines with cases and called- it HartfordTs Dangerous once in a while a spurt, sodt as I Wile Street, and we took the precaution to use a . described, to pep things up. But if you want-, picture of one of Hertford's. Dangerous a figure; here is one: Daring the mooth-be*' - streets (not just any street) on the .cover. fore distribution of the leaflets, seven adult Inside, we listed just 20--that's all--of Hart- .'pedestrians were injured in die area on which ford's most dangerous intersections and just - we concentrated./ During the foQowtog month 10 of our most dangerous streets. Most of four were injured. Assuming that this edu the people in die group we wanted to reach cational acti^:.was(responsible for only SO' bad only to glance down the list and spot a s percent of die reduction; the economic savinff street or an intersection which they traversed amounted to inore.:than fivetimesjthe cost daily. We played# you see, on that human of toe leaflets. Tint toeked like argoo&in trait which makes a broken arm in your own vestment to tu; and wellteyeat it frexn^ume neighborhood seem much more important to time. ] vy m-fL *nehich t we Street and Highway Traffic Section V ---- 61 ' Report of the Committee on Public Education and ; Safety Organization y; By CARL J. RUTLAND President, TexasStateSafoty AModatioa;Chainnan,Natioad Safety Council . Committee on Public Education. and Safety Organisation The Committee on-Public Education and - Similar studies were made in Hartford, Safety Organization was . appointed in 1940' Conn* and it was found that the lower in topromote,interest in traffic safety education. cline groups, residing in two well-defined During the ensuing year, the Executive* Corn* ^sections of the city,, were not effectively ndecejdt^e Section noticed a growing de- reached by the general.rafety education pro manafor-triore formal information on activi gram.The Conservation Bureau of the Hut- ties in the trafficeducation field, and in 1941 ford Chamber of Commerce decided that ad the Fiddle Education Committee was in ditional selective activities*should be put Info structed to pursue a study of the problems operation among these groups.' Soon after among population groups that are responsible the work started, the people in these two foe-' for the majority of traffic accidents within a' tions became conscious of. the importance of locality. * ` safe practices. The results proved to be en The Committee decided that selective,edu couraging. cation was a.timdy sobject to study. Here -1 do not have time to elaborate on the vari after, when I.use tiiis term'it will, refer to ous selective education programs that we special safety instruction focused on those have studied and digested for use among edu areas and groups that, because of an abnor cators in traffic accident prevention fields. mal accident frequency need more intensive However, I would Idee to mention that tran traffic safety education than is provided to sients, age-groups, negroes, and congested die general public.. neighborhoods present special problems in We have found In surveys from various rities^that certain groups are accident-prone bccanse they areaboormally closed to traf traffic accident prevention work and should be ---, handled through special channels, that can do a selective job. fic dangers and iue. not reached by a general, The Committee feels fiat the community safety-cdocariw.foHgram. This led the Coni- safety organization in cooperation with foe to characteristics of traffic engineer oir police department can do each agrident^rS^gwwp in^orefar that much to decrease accidents through a selec i channels could be foefod-ihat would- reach tive educational program. This should not be 7 them most adequately, and.methods could be determined in ai haphazard manner.' Instead, ' devised that wdnld give instruction to them a careful analysis sbould be made of the acci most effectively. dent record of the previous year, or two to In oar research and survey work we found that foreign-speaking people comprise one of die most accident-prone groups not reached by the general education program. For instaikein'foybi^ town of JDallas, Texas,-we found that^hiare were 323 pedestrian acd-. find where edncational facilities can do .the most good among acqdent-prone grbups and high accident frequency areas. We have found that the following studies are practical in outlining foe selective traffic education program. dents per 'lflOifldO Mexicans and the rate for -1. The first.project we submit is a carefnl' all other nationalities combined was.195. We stndy of foe residence spot maps. We have realised tbat something had to be don& so we found that accidents which, occur within an called in the Mexican Consul and-two Mexi area under study often become concentrated can prints to addreis tbeir people at special in one particular section. This is proof tint ) mass meetings. No doubt Mine Mexicans people living within that section art more ' were reached by the general city-wide pedes susceptible to traffic accidents and usually trian activities, but we feIt. foatnrach interest are not adequately readied by the general* was stimulated by these meetings in the pnferam. Next, you must determine the char Mexican quarters. acteristics of the residents of this locality. tVI! m -.Us.  /V 62 30th National Safety Congress Y* and the most effective channels through which after a careful tabulation has been made and these people can be reached with traffic safety die casulaties are charged against the vic education. tim's home ward, irrespective of where it The Committee has also found a need for selective education among age groups. The age-groups that aremore frequently, involved in accidents can be determined by tabulating the city or state traffic accidents..into age classifications, such as 0 to 4 years, 5 to 14 years, etc. happened in the city, you -will have a fine picture of the accident distribution. In this way you will be conducting a selective edu cation program with cadi ward functioning for its own benefit and inhabitants. -`I : After a year of study on the subject of se lective education, the Committee has arrived These figures should be compared with at various conclusions and recommendations. similar national statistics to make the most .At this tune, I would like to stdnnit them to significant study of the accident-proneness of . the Section: the various age groups. Educational activi ties can then be directed at the accident- prone ages through the most influential channels. 1. Studies of traffic accident records reveal abnormal frequency of accidents among cer tain population groups. These consist of per sons whose exposure to hazards Is abnormal, Another study we wish to point out is the or who are not commonly readied by the accident time table. By separating accidents ordinary agencies or methods of public safety according to hour of the day, day of the education. week, and month of the year, it is possible to. find when the greatest number of accidents occur. With these facts it is possible to warn the public of the most hazardous period in traffic. 2. Selective Education is designed to attack tiiis abnormal distribution by special apptications of tiie usual agencies and measures of traffic safety education to these accidentprone groups. It consists of determining the The fourth study we would like to recom- ; special characteristics of these groups and mend is a comparison of accident types, i the hazards to whkh they are particularly Every city should determine what types of i susceptible, and presenting the appropriate in accidents are occurring most frequently and j formation by means of and through the chan what relation this has to the national experi- j nels that will reach them most effectively. . ence. The National Safety Council has a se-; ries of summaries of detailed accident experi- : ence reported by various cities hr tire differ ent population groups. These summaries show the percentage of the various types of motor vehicle accidents. By means of tilts series of summaries it is possible for you to' determine where your city stands in relation to the na tional experience. After finding which types of accidents have a higher ratio than that m 3. The population groups of 15 to 24 and 65 and over, are .the most susceptible to traf fic accidents. Those in the former groups should be reached through appropriate litera ture mid activities in their, schools, colleges, organizations and places of employment Per sons over 65 should be reached through their organizations and social contacts, and through the guardians of the aged and htfirnt r < other cities of similar size, you can decide 4. Appeals most be made toforeign-speak- which groups, sections, or ages axe producing mg or nationality groups through, the agen these specific accidents. For example, if the cies of publie information which understand statistical analysis of your city should show them and m which they have confidence. It is that 75 per cent of motor vehicle collisions futile to attempt to reach them through or are with pedestrians and the national grotty ganizations and. publicity channels that do percentage was 57, it would be advisable to not use the language ; tehicb they readily direct special educational safety activities at speak, read or understand. the pedestrian. 5. Groups of social-, or economic status The ward traffic accident tabulation is aa- lower than 'the normal must be . readied . other method that can be used to locate the - through their own agencies of association or neighborhoods where accident-prone people contact or through social service agencies reside. It also is used as a basis to stimulate that reach them in,their own environment traffic safety competition between districts. and circumstances. This also applies to areas Street and Highway Traffic Section 63 inhabited by transients with little or no income. '''"r-.. ; 6. Spot mapsof theresidence locations of drivers or pedestrians involved in accidents reveal .some, areas -with unusual condentra- tions of spots. Even if population is j dense and the acddent frequency may. not {be as high as in some other areas, the application of Selective Education to such a section readies a large number of contributors to Uie traffic accident problem through one pro gram of activities. 7. Accident records should be studied reg ularly in all jurisdictions to identify abnor mal distribution of accidents among different groups and to reveal evidence of changes from time to time. Officials who receive ac cident reports should.insist upon the reports bring adequately filled out for identifying population groups that present particular accident problems. & Effectiveness of Selective Education in reducing traffic accidents should be deter mined by "before and after" studies of acci dent experience. Such information is heeded both for guidance of local programs and for promotion of rite general policyof Selective Education in attacking the concentrated traf fic accident problems throughout the country. Our first year of study on this new subject has been enlightening. In that time we have obtained the best available information on Selective Education activities in a few cities with well-planned traffic education programs. We have found conclusive evidence which illustrates the effectiveness'these programs have bad in reducing accidents among those areas and groups with an abnormal fre quency. Similar special analyses should be made in other cities and states so that quan titative data on circumstances contributing o accident-proneness among certain groups can be obtained. The Committee feels such studies are necessary for adequate progress in traffic safety education and will he glad to furnish instructions for making it WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION October 8,1941 Group Session on Traffic Accident Records Preridixg--Wnaua S. Skits, State Traffic Engineer, Colombia, S. C, and Chairman, Committee on Traffic Accident Records, Street & Highway Traffic Section, NSC Annual Report Committee on Traffic Accident Records By CHAIRMAN WILBUR S. SMITH Approximately, four years ago the Nation- have undergone frequent revision and fin al Saffely Council initiated a program of field provement since 1937. assistance to the states on problems of acci dent .records. There was little or no uni. fornaty of procedure. Consequently, tfci Committee on Traffic Accident Records was called upon to draft standard report forms, summary forms, and other procedures. The Committee on Traffic Accident Rec ords is currently' working on further re visions of riie standard forms. In the case of the report form, the revisions are minor. The changes in the summary form will, however, be sweeping. These forms to.be recommend Those firsrfbrms which were prepared by ed for use in' 1941 do, perhaps for-die first ` the Committee were materially better than - time, justify the term "standard." They are any forms used fit any. single state. They the product of four years of experimentation have served to improve greatly both city and and improvement by the various states. The state accident reporting procedures, and the :new summary form will tremendously in usefulness oiaccfilent information. However, crease the usefulness of tins routine. tool. it is perhaps unfortunate that the forms were The new summary, form will, answer-far called "standard" at that early date--they more questions than any past form, but the EV"' S'; L ' "'*21 :.tn| 64 30th National Safety Congress it amount of detail' shown , on the form .has dent information which may be ofmaximum been drastically reduced. Tins has -been ac -usefulness. complished by eliminating: detailed classifica tions by severity.' of accident and certain Specific Use* ofKecords other items of information which have not The report of the Chairman was followed proven to be of great interest and use. by. brief discussions along tbejlmes of "En- The.recommended changes in die report form, and die new summary form, will be presented to the National Conference on Uni- ; ginetemg", fEnfwcement, and/Ttablic Ed ucation." The following is a summary. of this discussion: formJTraffic Accident Statistics for its ap "Enginemng^--Fred C. Tarbax, Assistant proval; The Conference las not previously Traffic.Engineer, Ohio Department of High considered the matter of summary formp. . ways, who said: During die past year two more states have It is usual to find the greatest use of acci \ set up uniform accident reporting laws. dent information in the phases of die pre There now remain rally four states which vention program covered by the department have no general, state-wide accident report which actually tabulates and analyzes the ing legislation. accident reports. Increased emphasis should ThejCommittee turned its meeting at last yearVycingress into an open, discussion be placedoo use of accident information by other state departments. meeting of accident records and their uses. Accident information iris two 'uses in The meeting was so sucoessfed that it was highway planning--(1) find out what to do, carried on for three additional hours die. . (2) determine the priority ofJobs. 1 succeeding morning. It was die consensus of die group that similar meetings, should be regularly scheduled, and some effort be made tojjet them on the programs of Regional V^Saefty Conferences^ Ohio makes extensive use of accident rates based on traffic volume; All highway sec tions with an acddoit rate exceeding the state-wide rate for the state bigbway system have been subjected to spedil study. v._Jnyview of the `Oommittee's emphasis oo increased use of accident information, it was interesting to note that die Accident.. Sta tistics Committee .of die American Assodakm of Motor Vehicle Administrators, at its 1941 Conference in New; Orleans, devoted Accident records are the basis of defend ing traffic engineering--they support the traf fic engineers' ^No* to a suggested change as well as- developing public support for the improvements which have been installed. the major part of. its attention to increased There, is a great need for more complete use of accident records. before^and-afterstodies for all highway It is' my own feeling dial the gradual im changes or remedies installed. . provement in the persooneTavailable for acci <Tfoforopneat%rSergt Edgar F. Isaacs, dent records work in the state which has Delaware State Police, who slid: been going on for quite a few years has been accelerated daring the past year. The coarse If we think of Enforcement as a gun, tben in accident records conducted by die Nation accident records ire the sights of the gun.' al Safety Council as a part of the National Institute for Traffic Safety Training had 16 ' One state had a very elaborate analysis city and state representatives in die class.' and' stnmharizitioa. procedure, intended';to The extensive field work of the GoanriTs staff has readied die accident record work of 32 states during the past twelve months. supply information for sdtetive enforcement A great mass of data was,regularly stripped out to the individual police posts. Naturally since die tremendous volume of tbeinforma- To an increasing extent administrators are tkm wasquite beyond the analysis'capabili recognizing that, if accident records are to ties of die post commanders, theinformation serve as a guide for the entire prevention received little or no use. Then, , one of .Ihe program and its individual phases, the per posts started put to use two or tiiree.of the son in charge of accident records and his simpler things included in die complex analyr assistants must have sufficient ability and sis. The result--a redaction in. acridcntt training to process and develop proper acci This demonstrates that one or two simple '/I1 7 .w.:v * jl r. - C1' I' . " '? ' . . mum turn Ggh- plete liway ifcrais d'to IBW*. tpped [rally ntaalnliation flfae I the nabr- knh. Street and Highway Traffic Section 65 facts, if used, will, accomplish more thar a . One^ and sometimes two, officers in . the relatively complex analysis which cannot be police department are continuously assisting appliedby.those !to wboat it. is sent and advising operators in filling out accident reports. This gives some excellent data to In Odunr^ .fte 1940 accident and other supplement - officers' reports on those acci data were used to reassign aU tnea by sta tions. Shortly thereafter, enforcement was dents . whichare . .inves' tigated. ;-- stepped tip, die increase amounting to about ' . All educational material put out--press, 10 per cent. However, all of the increased, radio, organizations, safety sections, etc, enforcement was planed on hazardous viola- ' --is based on records. . ttons, so the enforcement index jumped about Extensive use of spot maps is made at con SO per cent .^ vention^ livestock shows, stores, hbtdsj etc "Edncation^--Earl F. Campbell, SecretaryDirector, Portland Traffic Safety Cbnonisstau^Portland, Oregon who said: . We-have separate spot maps on..pedestrian (day and night are. shown), driverxdr passenger injury accidents (showing day of die week), bicycle accidents, track accidents, Accident records are useful for education- and street car accidents. al porposes in a way not always recognized Accident records and' information were and utflized^-to inform people about the en- used to sell to die public two specific items forcement and engineering developments and in the program. The first was a blhz-krieg secure their stppdrt This is highly im campaign, justas a supplement to die broad portant and is in addition to using accident balanced program. records directly as a guide to die inform- tiou which drivers rad pedestrians are most in need of. Past lade of aeddent data has of ten meant that public education relied largely on opinion and guess work. . - The second .was a speed control program built up gradually by stories based on die records. Speeds in some zones averaged 20 miles per hour over indicated speed. There were few arrests. Speed was gradually re i AU accidents are reported in Portland duced in five miles oerfaour notches by edu gardlcss of damage. The reports are filed cation and enforcement director., with die Portland Police Depart ment,*but are forwarded to die state for me chanical tabulation. The state famishes the detailed .summaries and special studies re quired by the city. - W. G. Johnson' Chief Statistician of the National Safely Council, presented die pro posed; new summary form for states which was bring worked on fay the Committee on Traffic Accident Records. He explained the - Accident information was nsed all through our "Slddrow", project -The accident re ports showed great qmqentiation of pedestrian accidents, particularly fatalities, in this waterfront district frequented fay.transients, stevedores, etc. The fog and darkness, plus - . nature and reasons for the changes from past standard summary forms. (The notes which accompanied the proposed form and.were dis tributed to die cojpmittee-and other state traffic authorities constitute the material pre sented at this meeting.) alcohol, were causing the trouble; First, die John Furlong, Colorado Highway Plan .Engineering Bgccspi studied all factors and ning Survey--Colorado has found consider cliiitinated tye'mginmriug. hazards--with able need for. training die reporting officers. lights, cmssstafrTmes, etc Thirteen people The' Colorado reporting law requires that ' had been killed in.this district in the twelve drivers report to local officers who, some months preceding the project After the en times after investigation and sometimes with gineering,treatment, we went before the pop out investigation, forward ..reports to die ulation of the district We trained one. officer state. The Colorado Highway Deparment especially for this , job. Then die police de developed a film strip showing the uses of partment posted annnunfwifnH in transient accident information and the problems which botds and other gatitermg.jplaces of meetings arise in- accident' analysis. This has been . to be. held. In the space of. three months yre very effective m demonstrating to local of- covered every hold, lodging house, and ficers the need for complete and accurate re theater.- There, have been no .deaths In die ports. Mr. Furlong agreed to forward the seven months after this project film strip and an accompanying running com- m 66 30th National Safety Congress meat to Mr. Johnson for inspection, so that a digest of the strip ctjjuld be presented in these Minutes. Mr. Johnson, called attention to die possi bility of preparing- a Manna! on Accident Reporting similar to that used in Alabama and other states for tije state investigating officers. This could hrgitoen to local agen^ ties where primary relianoe is placed on their reports and could incorporate selling material on the importance of proper accident reports. Sergt C. F. VanBlankensteyn, Traffic, and Safety Division, Michigan State Police-- Michigan is going to set up its new accident repdrt in pre-coded form-to eliminate the use of iq_intermediate coding form. We are also, going to put the mechanical tabulation code onto two separate cards and use a collator. This will eliminate under-punching in the various columns, will mfake it possible to tabulate, and will provide more information than you can get onto a single card. Mr. Johnson--It should be pointed out that Michigan relies entirely cm a single report of cadi accident These are sent in .by mvestigatmg offifcers, or by an officer who has taken down the report from the indi vidual drivers. Thus, the problem.of work ing out a probable true version of an accident from the conflicting reports of two drivers does not come up. In the latter, or ordinary case, I believe the states have found it very worth while to have an intermediate coding form as a means of setting down the analysis of the accident, as distinguished from the re port of either one of the drivers. Of course, where there is just one report tins problem is not serious. The use of two separate mechanical tab ulation cards for a single accident has keen discussed before. In general, it is not wise to use this system unless a collator is avail able. Unless this machine can be utilized, the data on one card cannot be related to the information on the other card. This gives quite a disconnected set-up for any intensive analysis of a particular type of accident WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 8,1941 General Session Presiding:--Burton W. Mams, Director, Safely and Traffic Engineering, American Auto mobile Association, Washington, D. G 2 Report of the Committee on Pedestrian Control and Protection live itie K. By LESLIE J. SORENSON gin * Traffic Engineer, City of Chicago, and' Chairman, Committee on Pedestrian Control and wh and Protection "V- ten ' r Mr. Sorenson called attention to the van- ' pared, and wjll be available for distribution ous studies carried on by die Committee dur shortiy. ing die past year, principally to determine die effectiveness of educational, engineering and enforcement measures, and die 1941 re port contains many illustrations of typical "Traffic safety" said Mr. Sorenson, "is primary die responsibility of public officials woo, in their respective fields, have the au gin niq nat or sho seqi activities, with data revealing the results obtained. thority to act At the same time^ public support is vital in attaining effective andbal- anced'offidal programs, and certain activities il stai eva The committee has produced a new soundslide film on pedestrian- safety, which has been most enthusiastically received. A state pedestrian program has been pre- are of fundamental importance in obtaining the necessary, piddle support for programs which progressive public officials wish to undertake. 3. of 1 met . 5 .. T Street and Highway Traffic Section 67 "Antmher of states have taken the leader safety activities should be made at a number ship in launching- state-wide pedestrian safety of locations where conditions can be con programs, which ire designed to reach trolled, to measure the effectiveness.of each through various political sob-divisions into specific' undertaking. - In this way - officials die smallest amts of government--and that charged with, the responsibility for pedestrian at the same time enaMed-tiw local officials to safety can have some idea of what to expect enlist support and cooperation of interested from each measure that Is subsequently con public citizens$n their respective communities. sidered for similar conditions and. locations. The States of Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Definite procedures in malting- controlled Washington promulgated well balanced pro- studies must be observed if a valid measure gramsdtsring 1941. The Motor Vehicle De of theirresults is to be obtained. Such stud-* partment of Wisconsin prepared twelve units ies will build up reliable pedestrian safety of study on the general subject "Protecting techniques and reduce reliance upon opinions die Pedestrian** for use in Adult Education which cannot be substantiated by bets. Classes conducted by the Work Projects Administration. Based on an analysis of 4.. Public officials (state, county and city) these programs, and- other activities in the and Safety Council members should make a field, the Committee has prepared a state continuous and thorough study of pedestrian wide program which it is hoped will receive accident trends as revealed by current aori- immediate attention hy all concerned." . dent records. Safety programs and plans must be restudied in the fight of bets re The report listed die following major con vealed by accident trends, as plans previously clusions and recommendations on the pedes ' effective, may no longer meet the current trian problem: need. This, bet further emphasizes the need for careful.evaluation of the effectiveness of Conclusions and Recommendations each measure used. 1. Public officials and private citizens alike 5. Concentration of pedestrian accidents should recognize tiieir responsibility for a at certain locations may make structural im concerted and intensified campaign to stop provements for pedestrian safety at such the rising accident toll which 'has accom points imperative; While recognising the panied and definitely hinders the National necessity for careful allocation of limited Defense program. Every such accident pre- funds for street and highway improvements . vention activity should include measures for and construction, the urgency of engineering the safety of the pedestrian along with those stody and treatment of locations unusually for the safety of all other users of the high hazardous for pedestrians is emphasized by way. the emergency created by the rising accident on 2. Attempts this year to measure thceffectivcness of various pedestrian safety activ toll in National Defense efforts. State, coun ty and city engineers should see that as many physical improvements of existing facilities ities Indicate that public officials and en gineers' should give more attention to "before and after** accident studies of all locations' at which changes and improvements are con templated, whether such changes involve en are made for pedestrian safety as funds will permit, and that all future 'plans give the pedestrian equal consideration with .the mo torist son gineering, education or enforcement tech 6. Studies of accident experience at loca niques, and are temporary or permanent in tions in rural and suburban areas frequently nature.- After such changes have been made indicate the need for engineering improve or activities bandied, their effectiveness ments'for pedestrian safety. Occasional rural should be carefully studied m terms of'sub- and.suburban conditions may require the use seqpent accident experience. Thu procedure of safety ishnds,.which most always bis well is particularly necessary now. and. until some lighted; harriers; specialty marked pedes standard measurements are established for trian crossings ; and separation of pedestrian evaluating pedestrian safety activities. and motor vehicle traffic atgrade, preferably 3. Supplementing "before and after" studies by overhead structures in most rural loca tions. of various activities programs and improve ments, special Indies of specific pedestrian There may be frequent heed m rural areas '1ife jif gjl .-rtr&B - --R.8H.jrB_ t a n s > 8 30th National Safety Congress for such engineering improvements as die following: " (a) Sidewalks in rani and suburban areas where there is heavy pedestrian traffic or a considerable amount of pedestrian traffic combined with heavy 'vehicular -movements. (b) Traffic signals: timed and controlled to take into consideration die number of pedestrians, their physical condition and age, and the width of the roadway, if warranted by the volume of vehicle traffic. .. (c) Islands and safety zones, which must always .be distinctly' marked and lighted. - y (d) Special lighting along certain sections of/streets and at pedestrian crossings with high accident experience at night, where normal street lighting is not adequat^ Pedestrian subways or tunnels , and overpasses where; in.addition to acci dent experience- and ^.traffic volume - warrants, conditions mdkate.thafsnch structures win be used. (c) Walkways added to existing bridges (or grade separation structures) where not originally provided, and walkways included in die. design of all hew structures, in areas where a consid erable number-of people must other wise walk in die roadway. (d) lighting along sections of highway which have a concentration of night pedestrian ' accidents, at heavy rural pedestrian crossings, and at similar intermittent locations. 9.. Analyses of pedestrian accident records reveal many specific conditions which should he considered' in planning pedestrian safety educational programs. SpccaTsfodBes indi cates that in sonse localities pedestrian acci- dents are Ugh among certain rationalities or among persons of lower economic., status. Educational efforts must be directed through media which will reach these peofile and m whichjtbey have confidence. General pnblic educational activities will be most, effective* when directed at specific pedestrian; actions and violations which are resolting in acci 7. It is known from pedestrian accident dents. Ail pdblic.e^ication activities should experience that certain engineering improve be designed to sdl pedestrians on the neces .. V* ments in urban areas should be regarded as sity of vofahtarily complying. with tegula- a standard installations and thus applied prac-. tically withouf exception. These include: tions and ofassumlug a greater share of the responsibilityfortheirnwn safety. . (a) Sidewalks in all urban areas. (b) Propermarking of crosswalks in busj. ness districts and in thickly populated . residential areas. (c) Lighting of all pedestrian crossings as well as hi! business and residential streets. (d) Timing of traffic signals -to meet the needs of pedestrians. 10. Regulations and laws for he control and protection of pedestrians most be com prehensive enough .to provide a. dear amd definite legal basis for enforcement Many cities and some state may fiad .it necessary to amend and: stren^hen pedestihui oedir nance and traffic code provirions before. forcement officers wiH be able to. require pedestrian obedience. Such changes in the. traffic code sbouldbe' effected before attempt ing enforcement (e) Pedestrian walkways on all bridges. . & Pedestrian accident experience and dis tribution indicate that certain high accident urban locations may require engineering safe guards which are not necessary throughout urban areas. Improvements which may be -needed include: (a) Barriers to control pedestrian move ment and curb jay-walking. (b) Special walk and wait signals where ordinary traffic signals do not .proride adequate pedestrian control. t The magnhnde and seriousness of tire pe destrian traffic problem-now indicates tire need of general enforcement of pedestrian regulations on the sarnie .basis that enforce ment efforts are directed against operators of motor vehicles. ThU gcncral condition of. enforcement -however,-, mnst be approached hr successive stages in tiiose locriities .where pedestrian regulations bare not previously been mforce*LThey mast beprecededbya comprehensive educational campaign, since it Is neemsary that pedestrian enforcement ef forts have widespread public support and ini . s8.saffegsg-sg.sr..:s i a r f ,, gas-,, *}*'. V .S: - JOl mist and ions mgs ifat, not and iediume such ords m-l+l-amdd|. iidficq* Sor Etna xgb din dUic dive dans udoald m [ok flbe ntrol no* and fauy tsaiy ordfc t.fejoire I'tbe snpt- ! pe* i die tiian orceators m of. icon Acre Dusty by.a iceit rtef- and ) Street and Highway Traffic Section 69 cooperation. Initial, enforcement efforts are lem receiving proper attention. .- Such pro- usually most successful when directed at the . grains should be planned to require theactive two .or three most serious violations, as indi- participation of local'units of gpvermeut and - cated by . accident records and traffic cngi- afford opportunities'for foe widest possible neering survqrs. f public participation. Effective public safety . 12L Pedestrian accidents in rural areas and cdatk mediaare now fairly ^ stend- small cities 'have increased-vidiile in many ^ ^ mgenm^a vanety of ap- larger cities they have beat reduced. Re- Potions may be made.. Effective pedestrian sponsible state officffils and safety orgamea- safety. eimpaigiH must be carefully planned, tions sbonld provide leadership in organizing and should proceed slowly through the vari ant copdtKtmgsuitabtestate-wide pedestrian- ous stages of engineering, education, and safety programs,' withal! phases of the prob- enforcement THURSDAY MORNING SESSION October 9,1941 Group Session for City Police Prejidhtg--Pxop. Joseph LLwrao, Director, Public Safety institute, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. Selecting and Training Traffic Policemen . / mattHew j. bolger Inspector of FoBce; Department of Pubim Safety. Nevraxk, N. J. Regardless of what method we believe : than any other police duty. As a matter of should be tried to select traffic men,- we will public relations, it is especially important, continue to fulfill, our duties with the men and its -effectiveness can make or break a assigned to the traffic division. department" - Men for traffic duty must be chosen from Unfortunately, outmoded conditions exist the police department personnel. Experience m too many of our communities at the has. prorad that it is better for the traffic present time. While the physical standards men to have a general knowledge of police have been raised, little or no attention has work mid-some experience , in it before they been given to police training. are assigned to traffic duty. The Northwestern University Traffic In I am convinced that traffic officers should stitute conducted its first training course a -be chosen and trained as direfolly as officers .few years ago under the'directum, of Lt selected for any other branch of the serried. F. M. Kreml, at Evanston, HL The North There thould also be adaptability tests, and western Institute trains'polke officers in two . the men sbooid be given special training in ways. vFirst, it conducts. short courses. All traffic regulations and accident prevention. of these epursesare of two weeks' duration. After the men are sent out on the street, Several hundred men of all ranks, from they should be carefully supervised; * and nearly.aU of foe important cities, have at those found to be unfit shotdd, be returned . tended. The second -part' of the- program to their previous assignments. This is the consists of a special, long, course of a full reason why I do not believe that a transfer academktyear for a carefully selected group to. the.traffic division sbotdd be made per of officers. manent. until the officer has completed a probationary period. Short courses for. police officers have also been held at Harvard University, University The traffic problem-briqgs the department of Alabama, University-of Georgia, Univer into closer contact with the general public sity of Pennsylvania, Rutgers .University id /~Vr5 *: r MfI:- r. fe; & c '~0 70 30th National Safety Congress 1 New Jersey, and at the National Institute for Traffic Safety Training;. Many large cities in the country also conduct traffic offi cer's training schools, primarily for their departments, but as a general, rule,- some out-of-town police officers are permitted to attend. examination Is scheduled, they immediately begin to study and attend a civil service school. We have had many promotions granted to members of these classes which-.were based upon foe records the officers' achieved at Rutgers.. As 1 am more familiar with the work being done at Rutgers, I.feel more confident in talking about it The first baric course was held in April, 1938, and the second basic course was held that September; The first advanced course was held in November, 1938. Police officers of every rank, from many municipalities^ inspectors from foe de partment of motor vehicles and members of foe state police attended these courses. These courses were under the supervision of-Xt Kreml, of Northwestern University. The classes 'were fully attended and foe value of foe instruction widely acclaimed. The class was instructed in: The functions of a Traffic Officer. Traffic enforcement must be given greater prominence in all future promotion examina tions. In these courses were several lec tures on some of the most important phases of police administration: public rdations, strategy in handling crowds and mob psy chology. No policeman can do more for foe general welfare of his department than a traffic officer who properly performs his dnty. He is-foe first contact the stranger has with the department If he knows the proper way to answer a question, or foe more diffi cult action, the proper way to approach a violator, he cannot help but make friends 41 for his department Organization and training of a Traffic Bureau. Accident Investigation and Court Woric. Accident reports and forms. Violators* School. -Traffic Planning. Enforcement Public Education. Legislation. If we are . to issue summonses, we should know when to .do it and how to do it We should be familiar with our accident records. We should know what violations are cansing foe accidents, as well as when and where. We should give-tins information-to the driver with foe summons. This, combined with courtesy in handling the driver, will make a far deeper impression on the driver than heavy fine. The ultimate goal of traffic law enforce ment is tiie protection of life mid property, Public Speaking. Strategy in handling people. through the prevention of accidents by ob servance of the law. In order to reach tins goal, foe fraffie officer must be trained. School Safety. Public Relations. Teaching die Driver. Without framing, the officer cannot give his community .the protection it is .paying for. The officers who have attended training schools should, upon their return to their The car, foe driver; the pedestrian. First Aid. own departments, be assigned to. the instruc tion of all foe other officers who are detailed to traffic dnty. No department can expect to Some officers may ask why go to all that trouble to learn traffic work I know of progress in traffic matters unless it has a training unit This is true whether foe de no other way to learn this important branch; of police work Some men fed that if they partment has a large traffic division or only a few men on traffic dqty. j are doing a certain kind of work for a num It 1st also important that traffic men be ber of years, they know all'about It How given asvgnoch incentive as possible, and it ever, they are not consistent in their atti is suggested that every man be rated on tude because they may.be police officers for some persona! boms. However, care must, a long time, but as soon as a promotion be taken that the use of a personal record l tin 'o lately rvice ed to based sd at eater nina- lecfaases Boos, psy- neral raffic . He with roper diffich a lends * lodld We ords. nsk \ lit } ,-tfee Imted win river orce*rty, r obt tins imgde his ; for. H ang their tructailed set to ias a e deonly a be nd it d on must ecord Street and Highway Traffic Section does not encourage men to issue summonses members of the community, are brought into for a large number of technical offenses in dose cooperation for'the welfare and safety order, to .attain a high total of the community. National recognition as in Newark, under civil service'.regula tions, we cannot increase die salaries of- a safe community is die best advertisement there fe for a municipality. the traffic divisioa over those of similar rank in die .other divisions, bur we do grant five extra days vacation to all- members of the' traffic dmekxu Some pohce3ficials claim that the course offered is tyo^oroad for their individual needs; that tiuy are not interested in the formation of a traffic sqnad became there are The' most important branch of themodern not enough men assigned .to this work to traffic,division is the accident prevention warrant it This is something that can be bureau^ The accident prevention squad must debated either way, but personally, I be be carefullyselected; trained and supervised.- lieve that if only a few men are assigned to traffic, it develops a finer morale if these Training It a Good Investment men are selected, trained and formed into a group where they will receive recognition Some municipalities will not send men to and credit a training school because of the loss of In order to satisfy a demand for a more their service attending. Others consider foe time spent at school as just smother vacation.' This narrow-minded attitude endangers die. . specialized training, a 12 weeks course held at Sutgers|IJuiyemty- School was one afternoon a week for 12 weeks, was held The safety of die .entire community.' If these critics could attend even one session, they officers were permitted to attend whkhever of-the classes they chore; or the Ventire would quickly realize their mistake. I have course: This is th<*( answer to those who sat up until two in the morning with men object to officers attending the school be who were anxious to complete their home cause of the loss of tune. work. These men worried more about aver- ages than many men who have taken pro We then set np a plan for regional train motion examinations with me did about ing. The first course was held last fell at theirs. AO felt that a low average would Clifton for the officers residing in the three discredit diem at home. northern counties. Unfortunately, the present Some officials consider txaffic police train ing as of value to die police officer only. It is foe duty of die citizens of- these com munities, ..either as individuals or through their .organisations, to correct there condi- . dons. Some communities do not send men national emergency has disrupted our pro gram to such an extent that we are not con ducting any traffic classes. in Newark, or at Rutgers University, at present. Prof. J. L. Lingo of Purdue conducted regional schools in Indiana also. _t to. school because no provisions are sHf in ; In 1932 we organized our first traffic .the police budget for expenses of this na officers' training 'school. The classes were ture. The various civic organizations if held three hours a day from Monday to necessary, donate sufficient funds to pay tui Friday, inclusive. These classes were held tion, - transportation and other necessary in our own training school and every member expenses. of die traffic; division was compelled to at Traffic police trauting is one of the ..best types of community safety insurance,known - tend. In order that the men could without, the loss of their services attend, to the today. It gives the community the benefit city, they were assigned to night traffic duty <of a balanced enforcement program. It gives for the duration of the course. the police officer a greater knowledge of his Before attending tins school, the men. had work and confidence in the proper methods. a tendency to perform their duties in a hap- It creates a better understanding between hazard maimer. The benefit of the traimng : the officers and the motorists. they received was noticeable in the efficient /maimer in which they performed their duties, i Through a carefully designed safety pro* and the elimination of congestion by the gram, the police department, die civic and coordination of the officers? efforts, thereby other organizations, as well as die other giving a freer,movement to vehicular traffic. S'- **; ir>. V1 72 30ih National Safety Congress The superior officers of the traffic divi impressed With the efficiency of the depart sion--the captain, lieutenants and the ser ment - geants, were carefully selected and trained. We find that, by assigning superior officers to a district and holding then responsible for it, they take a greater interest in their woric They keep informed of the traffic accident record in the city, and particularly in their own districts,' through the accident report forms and spot map at . the traffic bureau. They, in turn, keep the men under them informed. These superiors must also investigate all complaints concerning trafijc, or traffic officers, in their district In September, 1937, we orgamzed ouir first accident prevention squad, by putting. one car Into ooeration.'after twn tmt hern sriected and trained atiterdin^y. . We later put other cart in operation. We tried using a radio car assigned to a district and also a car patroUhtf an entire precinct We obtained erecUcnt results Item both methods. From our experiences I would .say that where it is .ponnbte fioir a car to cover its own am) several adjoining dis tricts, without serious lorn of patrol service This system keeps the superior informed in itr own district it is an. excellent plan, and also creates a desire for- improvement as it -can. be put -into operation without increase of personnel .or eqtdpment Where Having ti>e superior in, charge of the dis it is not possible to do this,.becasae of con- trict mterviewcomplainants also creates a ditfons in the distrietrit is better to assign greater respectfor the traffic division. The a car to the accident squad and let the men citizen likes to feel that he is important in give special attention to general enforce tiie community and, when Ids complaint is ment when not engaged in accident inves quickly and courteously investigated, he is tigation. How Much Enforcement? ~ A Panel Dlscoissibn The Panel consisted of the following per sons: John A. Ebding, Director, Safety & Per sonnel, Olson Transportation Company, Green Bay, Wis. (Representing Commercial Fleet Operators.) W. K. Ingram, Chief of Police, South Bend, had. (Representing Enforcement Agen cies.) . ' -- D. Grant Mickle, City Traffic Engineer, Detroit (Representing Traffic Engineering.) Burton W. Marsh, Director of Safety and Traffic Engineering, American Automobile Association, Washington, D. C (Repre senting tiie Public.) The following is a summary of tiie discus sion: 1. The public view by Burton W. Marsh. As an individual,, public wants no en- forcemeat As .a littie enforcement is desirable. As ,T..jei group, enough enforcement for safety is desired. 2.The.commercial fleet operators' view of tiie same question--by John A. Ebeling. Commercial fleet operators want, above, all, safety* Enforcement Is safety! Tins cut he demonstrated in .terms- of'dollars and cents saved by safety procedures. The Olson Transportation Company (Ebding's finn) saves $32QO per year by safety methods. Ten years ago they paid 4% of receipts-for property damageand personal liability in surance coverage. Them same- items now cost tins company of one per cent In addition to mqnetaiy savings, safe practices have promoted a great deal 'of piAlic good will. Commercial operators nmst .be good and must be safe,. livelihood depedds upon tiieir safety-record. 3L How modi enforcement does engineer ing want?--D. Giant Midde. The woric of tiie engineer is worthless without .enforcement. Must .have' adequate, good enforcement 4. How much enforcement is desirable '' . ..-'.`J Vlrj.w'V.U"4Ji/. . ft ? :. ,fi.~ g-gL i S t E - *.. f t & f f f f r . &S.-S-.S-3. 5*3*3 o first one been tJOQ. to a afire tan odd r to disrvke ptan, hoot here con* sign rneu me* nes* ir of bove.. can and tom inn) ods. ifor in now In aCCS Sodpod Von eer- iless ate, able Street and Highway Traffic Section 73 from the enforcement angle?--W. K. In gram. We most have.as modi enforcement as Is necessary; to safely and efficiently move traf fic. . Ideally, every violation, of the law should bring an. enforcement contact v 5. Hoar much tolerance should be granted til speed enforcement?--Prof. Lingo. for desired: results and Can be ascertained by increasing our enforcement'until .We reach die point of dmfishing return on the acci dent curve. Thi index, ft rinsst be remem bered, measures qtsantityandis not the final ahswer.since quality also must be examined and measured.. It is. highly important that proper selectivity be used. Supporting mea sures. influence die results. , Answer by Mr. Mtlrfit--The public is irritated when they are arrested for a speed violation where die over-speed margin is slight Speedometer accuracy most be con sidered and a reasonable tolerance is desir able. . y Answer by Mr. Ingram.--Tolerance is desirable in two cases:, when existing speed limits are not reasonable, and to prove ac tual speed beyond a doubt by the arresting officer. The amount of tolerance must/be set up as'an administrative policy. ByMr.Marth.--The amount of tolerance is.less inqiortant than is-the uniformity in theamount of tolerance granted. 6. If fhe engineering force and die' legis lature agree on a speed as a necessary rule, what authority has die police to diange such rule? Question--How. much actual value is the enforcement index as a true measure of en forcement? The public does not intend to violate traf. fic.laws, therefore if. the attitude of the vio lator is reasonably good,'will enforcement realty reduce accidents? Mr. Marsh con tends that contacts, rather dan convictions, are die'most .effective means. But "if die public is caught violating, iris' ready totaice the punishment provided ft is handed out impartially." Mr. Ingram.--The enforcement indices of winning cities rathe National Traffic Safety Contest support die vahm M the index. The' danger of using tbeindex alone without proper supporting measures was emphasized. Good enforcement must be scdectivet Answer by Wm. Ingram.--Chan^ng con- Frank M. Kranl--Enough enforcement is ditions most be met when existing rcgda- needed to effect control. The enforcement tions are obsoleteand unreasonable. index will vary in differentcommunities, ft Question--What Is die measure of neces sary enforcement? cannot be. set as a . numerical index to be allied generally. The index is materially affected by die.quantity of reporting and cor Answer by Mr. Ingram.--The enforcement rection should bet made-for under-reporting index has beardevdoped as a gauge of ac on the bams of proper severity ratios as now tivities. The. proper Index, is that necessary accepted. What Traffic Law Enforcement Did for Dallas By CARD J. RUTLAND C Qutinnan,Citizens'Traffic Comnainion, Dallas Five years ago, there was very little traffic law enforcement in Dallas. There were oc casional'''^police, drived* as. in every city. There wodd'be a brief fiortyr of publicity In the newspapers and that-would be all there was to it Tbe tnfioc cases would be sns- pended or diamsSed by thethoesands. When there were convictions; theywoddbe ap pealed, and penalties avoided in ope way or another. Mudi of this was due to an'entire lack of citizen interest in traffic safety. Those who had any interest at .all were selfish forces looking to see what they codd get out of the traffieprobieoy - When the problem b&amesuffidently bad, some of ,the representative . citizens formed the Citizens Traffic Commission.. It was recognized that traffic law cnforfeanpitto large ly an official job, but that the officials heied 30th NationSafety-Congress pnblic support Thus, the new organization Traffic Commission, an educational program joined arms with officials, rather than to -.of deathless Ays. criticize or to exert pressure on them, dosed meetings were held with the police officers and commissioners, judges, and others, and aid was obtained from the National Safety Council in determining what improvemmts were most necessary. The deathless day program was based part ly npoo a "drivc under 30" campaign. Police wore arm hands with a number indicating die number of .days-since the.fast fatalaccident The climax was readied when we were able to go 144cfcgrs without a traffic death- We One of the first steps of the Commission readied a new high in public coosaousness was adoption of a resolution against the of die need for safedrhringand walking. : "fixing" .of traffic tickets. A mode! traffic code was prepared, adopted by the G$y Gotntcfl,and printed hi plain language to rid in education of drivers and pedestrians. Traffifc law enforcementhasbeena,tre mendous aid in this program. Oar enforce ment index has been high, but iheanrests have been made where ,they were necessary One member of die traffic oonmnsshn was in cootroling accidents, rather' than on a placed on die grand jury, and through his wholesale basis. . The certainty of poblishassistance, we were able to improve the court ment following adoption of our anti-fix system, and to get die Dallas Bar Association to stop die lawyer "racket". We also promoted improved traffic engi neering, improved police traffic squads, and a better accident reoord system to guide ns in directing onr traffic program. tidbefc system has made die enforcement pro gram easy, and our unproved judicial system has greatly reduced the number ,of appeals, to higher courts. . In Dallas, we have definitely demonstrated foat Impartial traffic law enforcement. Indeed up by an educational program to develop pub After improving onr administrative pro lic and official support, will really control cedures, we inaugurated through the Citizens traffic accidents. THURSDAY MORNING SESSION ' . October 9,1941 Group Session for State Police 'Presidhtg:--Sgt. G F. Van BzjuraxHSixnr,. Traffic and Safety Division, Michigan State Police, Bast Lansing, MM- . State police Responsibility in Traffic Control By SERGEANT ROBERT V. ANNBTT New Toxic State Police In recent years, police departments, Mate as well as municipal, have been organized without much thought given to traffic Police departments have also been formed on the basis of traffic control alone, disregarding, somehow, the criminal factors. Those departments which lean heavily to wards one extreme or. the other often create, by such onequality of principles, adverse public opinion and criticism. In any small township where a school- house is adjacent to a highway cartying even, a low traffic volume traffic, or in a hamlet where the" business and residential areas are on a highway carrying through traffic/a problem exists. A problem which, if uncontrolled may result in .tiie loss of life or injury to one of dwr number. There ate few funds available for organizing a police' department to cope -with these problems and the crime factor Is. almost non-oastent The roads are improved by the state or die county or the town itself, which brings adc cor km sch is I I jan g aa the in : bee pro sist poll ~C reli ala a a* dep and -1. par rev to .lint Ho attc exe mal am 62 No pro tea V bast ma for met owr wifi -poa gan mot bur thoi may bur wor be j B be spec r: ry'v/yr -< v Street and Highway Traffic Section 75 pram rated deed pab- ntrol ) State 7*ag in a nthl OOgb rhkh r life ! are >dioC': i and tent. 6 or added traffic and. more problems to this traffic control. Considering their, facilities- comparatively isolated community.- they are in a better starting position to kind ofcontrolis necessary, so nwhapsJU ; aotopOfoeir responsibilities and to cope with school janitor or a town Ujgbtfoatdi t&m Successfully. Generally, focyVhsye- a is given die job hitebe^Jafoe of. personnel; -more, better ^and From; this problem and from this school janitor- or night watchman springs an or ganized police force. Andsome day/surdy, a statepoJice organization is going-to fed the Ion of territory, the loss of respect and, in some instances, a raitictioain personnel because a local organization has met a problem tbe state pdice treated as a step sister hecanse it. was blinded by the insecure publicity of; breaking major cases. newer equipmentj a trafomg scbool wiuch stresses foe traffic problemsand means Of combatting them eqnally with crime and its problems; wider jurisdiction; they.are not hindered by boundaries" within foe state; an adequate communications system; and the respect of foe public; not to mention several other advantages. They should have foe additional quality-of no . job bring too great; none too smalL Should the state police handle vehicle in - Conversely, die state organisation which spection, driver licensing; a central aeddentrelies, for its existence on the traffic problem reporting agency? Surely thy are .interested alone'-vriU eventually fed the pinch when in foe proper administration of these duties a sheriff or district attorney forms a police - but .it does not appear to me that they are deportment, to combat the crime committed state police responsibilities. raider the nose of toe state police. A recent analysis of all state police de partments and in'two provinces ofGanada revealed that 38 ont of the 50 had authority to enforce criminal laws. Twelve states are limited to foe enforcement of traffic laws. 'Fmtdamehtaliy, foe police are charged with , foe duties .of protecting life and propeity, enforcing foe law, preserving foe peace; apprehending criminals and preventing crime. However, 19 of foe 38 states give primary The line of duties of the state motor attention to traffic enforcement; thereby not vehicle department clearly embraces all exerdsbog foe powers granted to them. This phases of motor veUde control except en makes a total of 31 out of 59.engaged pri forcement And I believe that registration, marily in foe enforcement iff traffic laws; driver licensing, exanuiation. of drivers, 62. per. cent of all state police departments. vehide mspecthm-^and foe central accident No data is available to .indicate foe number records bureau belong to foat-department primarily engaged in criminal work of the remainmg-19. There will always, be jealousy, conflict and chafuskm when 'two separate agencies What is. foe answer? . A middle ground are charged with foe same-duties, or. when based ttpbri foe principles of police depart one has to report to-foe other. Therefore; ments in foe larger cities. New York Gty, it seensto me foat a central .records bureau for example, haring a force of over ISffOO other,than in an-enforcement agency will men, recognises each police problem in its be. more effiaent than such a .bureau within own.ffght and has formed bureaus charged an enforcement agency which would bear with, foe doty of controlling, as far as is foe brunt; deserved or not, of deliberate lade -postible; focfr.individual problem. This or- of cooperation from' the smaller police gambearioa problem may- be. extended in a agencies. modffiedfohntostate police' with various bureaus to combat specific problems, even though foe functions of foe individual man may. embrace foe' problems of mote than bine bureau.. .Minor details may be pkumed and worked out so that foe desired result may be achieved. Let the motor vehide bureau embrace the central records bureau and let the interested police agenties obtain thrir needed statistics from that bureau. Thissysfem is employed in New York and, withotit doubt, in others witimut complamt to my knowledge. In some states thestatepolice have the central Having recognised all of foe principles to - accident records burcan and it is sometimes. be followed foe question arises as to foe ' difficult to get other police agencies to report .specific responsibilities of foe'state police in their accident investigations. . 76 30th National Safety Congress The weighing of overloads is to my mind Institute. Those men who have completed a definite responsibility of the state police. die course are,now in key positions inoar In New York we have a trade equipped troop traffic, bureaus and they are charged with the latest type scales, in charge of a with die responsibility of checking accident sergeant, who travels the entire state in reports and analyzing causes, among other vestigating complaints of overloads and pa traffic duties. trolling all highways. We believe that .the function of aiding in Legislation has often been proposed pro . die dissemination of traffic safety education viding for the establishment of stationary is a responsibility of the state police. ' A scales along the main routes, as is done in considerable number of our troopers have some other states. Both portable and sta tionary scales have their disadvantages. The given talks on traffic safety .to all school groups, religious and fraternal organizations,. high cost of portable scales prohibits their etc Where practical we believe in having use by departments with limited funds. Consequently our outfit is constantly being a local trooper speak before local groups, rather than detailing a complete stranger. called upon by police aptljoritiS^hrougbout We supply the speaker with facts concern the state for aid in Combatting overloads. ing the focal aaddent picture. K On the other hand, Isteticmat^ficales are Educational booklets are obtained and dis doomed to the one. location forever, and tributed as part of the work of our traffic they are expensive. It may be. efficient to. bureau. Filins are shown and discussed. The install stationary scales in those states having public response has-been .gratifying and in a limited number of through routes and some areas actual reductions-in accidents few routes that could be taken to by-pass bavebeen noted. . . : them. The mobile unit provides die element of surprise. A truckman never knows when The New York State Traffic Commission lias as its members the commissioner of the unit may appear. With the stationary motor vehicles , as chairman, die superin unit, of course, one always knows it is tendent of' state police, commissioner of there, but not when it will be operated. . highways and. commissioner of education.. The investigation of motor vehide acd- This xohmiissionis charged with' regulating dents on rural highways is of major im die type^location, erection, maintenance and portance as a state police function. And I removalof all traffic control signals on or add my voice to those who demand investiga along any state highway maintained by die tions rather than report-taking. With the state. It'has the power and it is its duty unfortunate attitude of some of our state to adopt uniform rules and regulations, con police towards traffic and its problems the forming, as far as is practicable, with investigation of accidents on rural high nationally accepted standards concerning die ways has too often been left to constables size, shape, kind, color and type of traffic fH-Pvv'. and other officers as a job well rid oL This signs, signals and markings to be used on attitude was created partly because of die or along state highways maintained by die. civil aftermath of most accidents, partly state. The State Traffic Commission may because of the laziness and carelessness of order die removal of any such sign, signal the state police officer. , or marking which it deems unnecessary or which does not conform with its rales and New York has made rapid .progress in regulations. _ It may restrict die speed of accident investigation. Accident' investiga vehicles on state, town and county highways tion procedure has been added to bur basic outside of cities or incorporated villages. recruit training course; since 1937 we have It may also restrict die parking of vehicles been conducting a two-week traffic school on all state highways maintained by the and members of. our department have at state. It has the power to formulate uni tended the New England Traffic Officers form highway safety programs and to co Training Course at Harvard University in ordinate the efforts of all interested indi 1937 and. 1938, the Northeastern Traffic viduals and agencies engaged in safety edu Officers Training School at Rcnssalaer Poly cation. It advises and assists focal trials technic Institute. Three men have completed with their traffic problems. It maintains and two are now in attendance at the long through the state police and the state high course of Northwestern University Traffic way department a continuous survey of traffic 1 deted ior trged ident otter Street and Highway Traffic .Section 77 conditions on the statehighways and recom It is up to'the military to police its own mends legislation. It leas the power to adopt column, to regulate its drivers, to control such roles and regulations as it deems neces the speed of the convoy arid ter assist in sary. safeguarding both military and civil traffic All field investigations fortius commission ate madejointly by a member of the state police and a traffic engineer of the state highway department.. Disagreements are ironed Vmt in the field In over 90 per cent of the inves.ti`gatCions. * *" - The civil police, however, prepare the .way for the military traffic; arrange to protect all traffic when the convoy is at.halt; ar range for the movement of all traffic through congested areas and arrange to send word ahead of the progress of the convoy. A representative of-the military may ride in Each troop traffic supervisor keeps a spot the police car if he so desires. The trooper map and a location file for his troop area rides about 1,500-2.000 feet in front of the of accidents investigated by bis troopers. convoy. Drivers of slow-moving heavy; Over 80 per cent of accidents in ratal areas trncks are advised to drive off the road ate investigated by the state police. Fre and stop until the. convoy has passed. quent stody of these locations and an analysis Drivers of slow-moving passenger cars are of the accident reports leads to. a joint advised to increase their speed so as to keep investigation with recommendations to the ahead of. the convoy.. It- has become our State Traffic Commission. policy not to escort military convoys of The relief of .congestion, is of greatim- less than 25 vehicles unless some special portance. Too often do we see a police officer sitting idly in his vehicle while traffic ' emergency arises. A military convoy when in open country travels in an open column .with well over one hundred feet between vehicles so that enough room is available for Recently we have had to take on anjdded civil traffic to pass. In urban areas, however, responsibility of handling and escorting mili the column is closed and a distance of Only tary traffic. - The purpose of a police escort 25-30 feet is kept between vehicles. In this to a military convoy isprovidea guide for case the column moves at an even rate of drivers 'usually unfamiliar .with the road, to speed and civil traffic is expected to give '.aid in maintaining its schedule, by providing the right of wayand to stay behind the a saftf.passage and, to cootrol civil traffic. convoy. Forum on State TrafficEnforcement Problems Originally planned as a discussion hr a lim ited number of participants, the meeting was resolved, by common consent, into a general discussion in which most of those present, participated. v One of the problems discussed was the question of driver licensing control. H. N. Rexroad, Inspector, West "Virginia State Po lice; Charleston, W. Va.,'stated that he. should consider the loss of driver-license examining a distinct loss to the state police. Inspector Rexroad said that*if the police give the. examination,.the. driver carries with him the feeling that'he would not want to be caught for violation. He also said that no traffic ethics are taught in homes or in schools and suggested, that some code he given to families to inject the moral issue into people's attitudes regarding' driving. Sergeant C. F. Van Blankensteyn, Traffic and Safety Division,. Michigan State Police, East Lansing, Michigan, then remarked that the State of Michigan attempts to impress the driver with the . importance of- driving, by distributing a 15-page booklet called "What Every Driver Must Know." Two to 2}4 million copies have bran published. The granting of a driver's license is based on the applicant's knowledge of this book--speed, lanes* stop and go lights and otter regula tions. . It is 'a "bible," and if the applicants do not know what is in it they cannot get a license. About 65,000 fan on their first test each year. If a violatiohis committed, there is no."give" in the enforcement if the driver doesn't know tte regulations and recommen dations contained in the book. If a driver has-more than his share of vio lations,' Sergeant Van Blankensteyn ex plained that in Michigan "they get him off ) I 7fT 30th National Safety Cot the road by revocation of his license.** Ser outlying Auctions and have a meeting at each geant 'Van Blankensteyn believes that the farm. Tfaqrrdrive with a certain amount of police should not lose control of license sus safety but pay no attention to many driving pension and revocation. regulations. They never use hand signals be Sergeant Robert V. Atmett, Near York cause they never made them with a mute.". State Trooper, Hawthorne, New York, said Among the 'suggestions given to Patrol-, that in his state new drivers are given a. man Routt were, reaching these people learner's permit for three months through churches and by toe .use of portable a pamphlet which includes safe drhmg prafc moving pfctureprojectors-tbat could be used tices. He then submits his applicatk&^fq in their homes. Also by toe use of toe a license, takes an oral examination on "What's Wrong With This Picture" ap manual and a driving test This examina proach. Sergeant Van Blanlccmtcyn said tion is not given by the state police but by that in Michigan they hope eventually to get .the Motor-vehicle Bureau. a thumb print on-eato driver's license cu-d for more positive identification, and that tins Ralph J. Buckley, Inspector, Connecticut might be a good 'thing down, in Tennessee. State Police, Hartford, Connecticut said tint . He said in 1930 they started thumb-printing when he came on toe force in 1929 they had chauffeurs' license cards.: . about 100 men and that some days 25 oat of toe 100 men devoted their tone to driver A short discussion on speed control fol licensing. Motor Vehicle Inspectors now lowed in which Patrobnan Routt stid tint handle tins in Ins State.. The same depart-' Tennessee had a "drive carefully*' law, but ment controls suspensions and revocations. It in Shelby County' tiny put on a 50 mile Omit also issues a pamphlet on. proper driving: and cut'fatalities in half. The police, however, recommend action in Rpy Carlson, Sergeant; Washington State instances. Patrol, Eflcnshuiy, Washington, stated tint R. J. Routt, Patrolman, Tennessee High* way Patrol submitted a problem they have in Tennessee. He said that "during toe last 10 yearstoey have had 7, 8 and 9 cent cotton and tint it is now 20 cents a pound. Tins jump in cotton, prices puts money in toe pockets of pickers and share croppers,*, and it seems that as soon as jthere is a rise in cotton prices, these people'rjub to jt`auto mobiles. The problem, said'PatroIman'Stoutt, is how to rearii thesemew car owners. 'They do not read, write/ go to school, will not in the State of Watoiqtfon In previous years, they had a- speed Bunt tint wasn't enforced because of politics and the likelihood of a patrolman losing his job if be attempted to enforce tins law. In foe last few years, be said, toey. have fotind that.speed was a pri mary contributing factor in so many acci dents tint tbey started a speed program. The patrol cars Were formerly aS pointed white but now toey use one white car to about three having ordtnaiy colors and are catching a lot of speeders. go to meetings or take any "track" as they Sergeant Van Blankensteyn offered toe express it down in that part of the country. comment tint on the heavily travelled sec Men that never had a dime now own Cadil tion of route 20 approaching the Indiana line, lacs--fbodcosts them nothing. a check revealed tint 86 per cent of the drivers were not from Michigan, and" that There may be one negro in a family of 15, while Indiana and Illinois drivers bad most who may be educated to toe point where he of tin accidents, Michigan drivers had many can take toe examination/ if not written, more violations. This seems to indicate; said orally. He puts the license on the steering Sergeant Van Blankensteyn, that Tn!tna wheel of his car and all the other members and Illinois drivers were nore conscientious, of toe family drive. To rearii them through tat that speed was a'primary factor in caus meetings you would have to go to all toe ' ing toe accidents. Street and Highway Traffic Section s' 79 * THURSDAY MORNING SESSION. October 9,1941 Joint Session of Street and Highway Traffic1 Section's Committee on Traffic Engineering with Transit Section. ^ (See Page 156 of this Volume for full Report) STi .. i- ' THURSDAY MORNING SESSION October 9,1941 Joint Session of Committees' on Public Education and Traffic Court Judges and Prosecutors State that vocn Jot U. Hut, -Corporation Court, Dallas, Tinas, and Chairman, Com mittee on Traffic Coart Jadges.and Prosecutors, Street and Highway Traffic Section, NSC CourtsEducating for Safety By JUDGE JOHN GUTKNECHT Municipal Court, Chicago The automobile like democnicy has be come so mud) a part of our American way of life that we take it for granted. We only fuHr appreciate them both when there is a danger of losing them. And that it why the best way to enforce sane and careful driving is to bring home the reaUzatibn toaH that the right to drive Is a privilege that nay be takenaway for abuse . of use; Fatmfiar as, I am with the lawyers? .approach to-kgal proMemv fanflitr with lawyer ractionsbothfnxn students intbe classroom and .lawyers in die c6tutroom,_I have Ipngrecognized the psythofogicaldifficnlties in applying .criminal court procedure to trafficviolatioas. lawyer's toodistonc ~crnnin.il mtenmissmg in neairiy .all of' the viola- In many of the"violations which do the most damage, negligence thoughtlessness and carelessness are the main causes of the damage; And consequently horn the legal profession used to looking upon negligence as at worst merely a cause fortfivIhjiabikV but requiring intention to beinahifest before they will willingly supportV^ct enforcement, the traffic problems have. as^ct re ceived relatively little attention considering that die legal profession, the judges, state's attorneys, prosecuting and defending attor neys--the legal profession has ultiinsteify the final and most important role in die job of. enforcement. 1 believe we .can make die arbhrary statement that tbe generalpublic awoke' nmdi sooner to die dangers of the traffic problem thandkitbe legal profession --and that .even today, it is enforcement in the courts-that hfbbc weakest link in the chain With jfehfchwa^are seeking to firmly rounect^nwoera sodety- and safe driving. fMai Lii:,---' . i..* .1  . .* - - ' - .- ; ` .-.; . *` . % r- ''*' * '- 30th National-Safety Congress. * *:'" *V" . * / ^ .' It is not mgr porposeat this timeto cover, So, labile da standards ri our .law; and the wide subject of safety and the legal pro enforcement boffies sue yet m an evolutionary I fession. I am now concerned with one out . stage; we must fecognire tiud where a* seri- standing difficulty in foe legal approach to ous sodal problem is i^ traffic problemsand what Iconsider at least, or more,theduty of foe enforcement 'agen- partial remedies. - CteS- and -foie' COjUrtS. to;iwhv-at a-fn -pm>iA We cannot--as some traffic authorities WStfethe attitndethat thepurposeofthe would do--approach these traffic problems in courtroom'is educatjonin .a- cotirteems,lotod^r-^ a wholly legalistic way, figuring that since but not too lement spirit w* find a gritwhi " they are violations of the lawtheymustbe . sprit.-of ;coopenitiw`fromt^ treated as criminal or quasj-crimmd matters come ;before the court or who study foe and that, hence the enforcement in all cases operation of tfae enforcers of the traffic laws. must be. "hard-boiled." That approadi is CNF course, .conttroom education ram caribr wrong psychologically and where: persisted ' be made an' "out?-for iUe^ prdcediges. in, it creates' the inevitable reaction to the Only tqooften a trafffeseboolpian hasbeen traffic problem which leads to lax enforcer seized dpon as the dance forearing a sen-/ meat, condones serious violations, results in, ons offender Oat of; his jastpanis fixing of icaseh and makes a few- spectacular Oriytoooftm certainmetbc^ ' cases carry the burden, for. foe .rest. When ' edacrtfonhaverirallybcCTadpalctohi&N enforcement is not reasonable, enforcement fix ormi'carttm\l6r^isaiw.;flNanin^^^pci^.! will be broken down by publicresenhanent : lidty. However, foe fart foat a ;- caabealmfedfanorasonfor Now actually foe pleader for foe use. .of . judges role in,modemsod^ -reason in enforcement, for a discrimination .. mat whosays, "Gtdlty or notginlty,,'* with- in foe nature .of foe pmdshmeht or, treat- ' omany'effort' toattadc foe. problem at; foe meat dq>ending on foe kind of offerise,is , roota'' '/.. r / .* standing 'on firm legal: ground.. Traffic of ' The!value of Chicagoradw.broadcasting fenses range from minor violations of-local was notmrinly in connectionwithtbe thou- ' ordinances which aremainly revenue produc- ' srixfowhocameto artrt.;:;fei^w^''irifo; foe. ing upto offenseswhkh are'foe.most serious millions wbobyli^^ of felomes--manslaughter and .even murder. stayaway frtwrcQurtHeroinArncrica,:foe However, foe problem is complkated by two task of the benchandtar is':not; merely to opposing facts which malm impossible a - protect -: ptxr- cnrii ^iputics) '. *uic.;;:ttccocns clear-cut division into foe old judictal cate mvW yhifli qlrtif, j' i>>rt^r)yy raii- flnnr. gories of .punishable offenses. . ish,bntalso t0j;.w0ro.ibe/^ . an First: Nearly all traffic offenses--even usefulness of the profcssion.Traf5c ednea- violatkmof regulatoryand license ordinances --are important in the scheme, of things, in bendi andhar even bddre tbescbools cafois ' connection with foe safety movement Viola into.foefidd became;traffic^_;ediii!Bti6ri.'&'er; PI tion of license provision may lead to . foe sentially a problemof law obfervanc*. -' escape of a hit-and-run murderer. Violation . And in. that problem of trafi^c edocadiaa of a parking ordinance may reset)tin a death. foe most.bogefal field is.rife, field where it is -. nwstneedoi--amoogthe young./ American ; Second: In even-foe most serious traffic j parents are prdvefoal .foi'i:baag".'GU^i~6a'- : crimes, it is very tare ftal'mfentkin to. com- / tbor :dffidrtn--reports 'from ' some ; army - nfit foe result exists. Drivxog'while intmri- V camps auggert bow; easy. Yomig America is'; cated is one of foe most common serious wOddn whrtdsrsfoyrtafficcdort^:^ traffic crimes. Yet in foe old laws, intoxica drily grtipluc pidiire of this.: Atri badc of tion was generally sufficient excuse to per this vrildhess on wheels is inanihreudess- mit a defendant to escape the fen penalty nca, fooughtlrtshess, plm si ccrtam rindmit , of foe crime; and so because foe Intent is of sbbwirig dff. While rridy u foe redde^ usually absent judges, lawyersand juries yoimg person a ^rl, only tbo ofteni there is . have found it ordinarily impossible to punish a'girl or two sitting in foertu and foe drhr- : as adequately as Is necessary if punishment ing is but one form of foe tnaschline'derire 1. is conceived of as foe main deterrent to pre to, show off. llie sequd foo often is death or vent traffic violations. . permanent injury. Street and Higkway Traffic Section 81 It#ievelhave foondthe best remedyfor, mothermake her boy's punishment a; little thisexhibition mania. Remember those boys less severe. Because .^$jjitii^ bdderras nKef Anierican boys belong--to . fir^t offender. i leave.ih mother's hands.:I the lb^ci(y thd umKd^nyl- - rewardherfor comitigiri^ . Ieg^j|T^;,''mii#ito " her bqjr. a court record on his first offense . '^'graatf sacii^c^.idiey brrt'inother -either, jnwsBts'--^ . ar Tjso driving Mny isjmjii^^^^ pain-. . CotniftrHcwpltal..tori'an:#>j<#|e#m:Mi.what Uivts bat h worksbecatne my firststep is tragedies areicami&'byrec3des;driyers. . tofqiflvin inaj^ The b^s i^ in . -The proof oi.tbe'iKiadins isintbe rating. son#. 43s#^^fitflier^.Ncw?nwtho:; may haye. Recent Chicago records show thatadolts been is" come back on traferecor^attfeerate of. the \Aiqwiic#i:'inoaia; .#bp, com# intothe '. 12fpr at. in ;fiye years. Our record of traffic coort who do# not ffleaMCbusiness in some 6,000 of 'these ;boy9 #tahavehad to' thefutiff<wfKre berboy ajiddrivingris con- bmpmiiasadipir ai^ea*of;imder2 per. cerned. I have seen these mothers in court ;cent That is a victory;-for- mama and 'for by tbe -t#s of- thousands.1 recognizethat social education. ; ;b-'; '/'V.:.'---' glint in_the;eye when they stand before the Cbur#can;e^ and equal bendi^yHm a side glanceat then-sons and impartial government Itpays dividends in only tbo often i havetostep in and' have dqnocrswy.1 PublicSopportoftheCourt APanel Discussion and the public dkndd he .encouraged, to bade. . Director, Kansas City up the trafficconrt instead ofcriticizing its Safety ^Coandl, Kansas Gty, Ha(repre- disdplinary and ediicaBt^ ^actinties. seating local orgmitotfaii)., It was also agreed that a courtwhich: -JnchjieJraB^ pourt, Nasbvaie,Tetmessee, . (representing the .cqortj^^:'- yV. ; failed to support a state or local safety program should be r#o#ed tba in^er.j#ficiuy body by some ptiblic. in^tot.:iir^iia^ soch as a state or^mtmidpal jaifety mnal. . PaniiF.TGll, Dircctiw of Safety^^ E tion^S^ . Safety, Des .Mpines, iowa,(rtpresei^^ . gamaaticios). The safety movement and ^s ccnmtxtion with tibe coirrt reguires,mucfa understanding of ^.^UdcH- c^eratioiia To .keep# dose contact the group agirad that safety direc- Mw. Gwwge; W, jaqua, Director for In- tors' aiiid members - qf then prganizations diana,GeneraI Federatxm of Wpojens Ctabs,. should takeah#mp^to for the Wfodiester, Indiana, (representing national advancement 'of tfae safety mofrement.. .. organization). : . The pJ#d was'cpndtid<^ of : fit:was vitally neces-; die presiding phantom. fhb saryr:fiii>'<';'tbi^.SBi#^} - *** entire panel by ste^Athat.^-hr^c; court - pubhc'cm tito' coort is,.'ra*ntial:; tb;;16cd ^ 2stote. (^ ' andaHv^ai^^ It and #&Hc edbrat^ wu' lnvn^^ct ttottoeooort to-'a^main The; safetyot#hmticm:u^ juaBam- organ'of edoratioaamong traffic ymlators to^ convince dw: #ibficv ^ tbit tict >, 82 30thNational Safety Congress THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION October 9,1941 General Seuion Presiding:--W. Gkahaic Cole, Director of Safety Bureau, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York City. The Power of the Press in Traffic By LAWRENCE? Vt. YOUNGMAN Reporter, Omaha Wodd-Herald, Omaha, Nebr. The situation that existed in Omaha be* In general I think it could be-said that fore the current drive started probably the attitude of the judges reflectedjthat of would be found to be about the same as in most Omaha offictaljdoot The'pay-off on. your town before*your drive started. ..civic indifference cardie last November. Six r In the early 'thirties, Omaha automobiles were knocking .off50 to 55 persons each year. Then in 1936 a combination of Inten deaths made that month the blackest in re cent years.' Bat even that failed to dent tbe public lethargy. sified - enforcement plus three months of The Campaign Starts heavy snow reduced traffic deaths to 25, and gave Omaha first place among cities in the 100.000 to 250,000 population class in the National Traffic Safety Contest In December The World-Herald dedded to malce-a; serious attempt to improve the situation. Proudly the award placque was brought to Omaha, and .promptly die whole thing was forgotten. Our officials began to rust cm their oars, and the trend of auto fatalities turned upward. The public didn't seem to mind. Of course; die Omaha Safety Council viewed with alarm, but its voice didn't cany very far in those: days. Probably the rela tives of victims 'wondered why something As a first move; we restarted to the simple and tune-tested expedient of giving the com munity a boot in its most tender spot--civic pride I Kansas City was ending the year with a shining record, so we hastened to Kansas City to do a series of articles on - how it had been done. A dty twice die size of Omaha, Kansas Gty had had only about two-thirds as many deaths. --- wasn't done, but they weren't articulate. The The series started on December 31. Be--, captain in charge of die police traffic bureau suits were not stow. Withing four daysf our would have preferred a lower death rate. police commissioner, Richard Jepsen, and ' But he didn't know how to bring it about, Judge.O'Brien were on their way to Kansas . and was not open to suggestions. City to obtain first hand information. The Our newspaper was as indifferent as any. Likely as not the story of a traffic death was hdd to a couple of paragraphs, and those buried deep inside the paper. Commissioner returned with a sweeping 10point traffic program that had all of the ear- narks of meaning business. One of those 10 points built a fire under jthe municipal judges by proposing a state law which would The most discouraging situation of all, I require eadi judge tq serve on fhe bencJrsix thought, was found in our traffic courts. months at a time; The theory was that'the Omaha has five municipal judges and, in ro longer term would give tin public a much tation, each serves on the police and traffic dearer picture of the judges' individual be court bench for a period of one month at a havior In traffic court, and that each would time. With one or possibly two exceptions, then stand- or fall by his own record. The the judges seemed to fed that Omaha didn't judges ducked and dodged, and made coun want traffic laws enforced and that, on the ter-proposals, but onejmmediate result was other hand, the easiest way to perpetuate that the judge thetji <m the traffic bench themselves in office was to malm votes by began to crack down'on violators ... and freeing traffic violators. so we were off! v. ranee ecided re the e<s U. ivafjour n, and Kansas a. The Ing 10* he earf those tmidpal i would nclrsix hatthe a inuch fatal bet would id. The k earnrait was e bench ,.. and Street and Hi ^Section 83 > i, _ 'At the start of the drive there was strong it conspicuous of the three'is agitation to cut our maximum speed limitl " in the upper right hand from 35 to .25 mph., principally because front page, and balancing the Kansas Gty bad done this with marked suc t on the left side. It reads cess. But Commissioner Jepson argued that. we abottfal first really try to enforce the lim its already in the statutes, and cut the maxi mum only as a-last resort The results have. justified fats./ *stand. >'s 65th consecutive day this year without a 8c death score today: At the start of the campaign The World- Thewmnon.of this feature is so promi Herald kept both barrels, hot, and the Police nent and the "65th day" is printed in such Commissioner played ball all of the way. Be large type that a reader couldn't overlook it fore many days had passed, a significant fault began to dawn on theCommissioner. This safety campaign was popular with the pub lic. As acquaintances and office visitors and A second and equally important feature is published under the heading, "In Traffic Court Today." It gives the name of the telephone callers all swelled the chorus of "Nice wori^ Commissioner," I had the very presiding judge, and lists offenders and dis position of all cases involving reckless driv definite impression here was a man who felt like pinching himself to see if he wrev ing, speeding, hit-runners and drunken driv ers. Judges have said they fed that the dreaming; publicity thus provided is as effective as die . sentences, passed1 out by the court Most About two . weeks after the drive started, . pebple just draft like to have, their names in the Police Commissioner announced a sur that column. And, of course, die spotlight is prising shake-up in Hie department He turned on die judge as well as the driver. tossed out die captain who had been in charge, and named Assistant Chief Robert Mundras director. The surprising feature was that the ousted captain bad been a friend . of the Commissioner, since boyhood, while the .Commissioner and the Assistant Chief had been more or less bitter enemies The third daily feature is a so-called "box score," which compares 1940 and 1941 figures on personal injury accidents, number of per sons injured, and the number' of fatalities. If also includes a safe-driving gem provided by the police department and safety council. throughout their official relationship. In a crusade such as.we have waged die newspaper cannot be content merely to wait Now Munch wasn't^a traffic'expert But for news to develop, eke there may fre he was a graduate of the FAl police school, quently be a dearth of. material. To keep an enforcement man from die dps of his the pot boiling The World-Herald proposed fingers, and die land of a bloke who took it and supported a number of safely activities as a personal affront if anyone broke any which otherwise 'wouldn't have been con kind of law. It took the new director a sidered in Omaha. Typical of these was a copple of weds to get his- feet on die police school for drivers, attended fay hun ground and chart a course for die traffic* dreds of persons between die ages of 11 and department By that time .our traffic deaths 80; a program on the theme "At Night Wear were up to four. Bid please note that the White," carried out by one of our most pro four deaths in the first six weeks were more gressive grade schools which, after appro than have occurred in the succeeding seven priate- research, made and sold hundreds of months. white oilcloth armbands, enlisted other . If all of the traffic stories published by schools in the cause, and made the entire The World-Herald since. January 1' were community realize that pedestrians ore diffi placed end to end they would fill a book--a. cult to see at night; a third activity insti good big volume. But if you were to analyse gated by The World-Herald was a police our safety "propaganda" possibly you would adventure in the use of Salvation Army ? deride that the real badebone of the cam--paigh is not the articles but rather three methods to take the traffic gospel to the "bindle-stiffs" and '"stumblebums'' who daily features' which couldn't be classed as scarcely can be reached by any ot^njethod. stories af all.' . From all of this you will readily perceive * * hi .A. 84 f30th National Safety Congress that the whole-hearted> cooperation of ,the they were dead, she halted her wracking police commissioner, the " sobs long enough to say that she was sorry- the safety council and other i the accident had affected the Joe Blank one of the happiest aspects, family. campaign. All safety wor tude that newspaper news game best and' that in reason, they'd do i Mr. Reeder has asked me to wind this up with a few general conclusions: In the first place we have seen that it is gested. This same spiri^^H^^^Hh has possible for a newspaper to initiate a safety marked Omaha's safety^K^^^K* the campaign and marshal public opinion be beginning. hind a demand for greater safety. Step by If you were to ask the average Omahan his opinion on the outstanding feature of the safety campaign, dances are that imme diately he would reply, "The Joe Blank family, of course." This family, introduced by The World-Herald, consists of those mythical persons whose lives have been saved by die decrease jn traffic deaths tins year, compared with the fatalities in 1940. We started the family when it had but four members. Each time a new member was added, the front page carried a photo graph showing the previous members wel coming the newcomer. The photographs were of real people, but. the faces were "whited out,'' so that the reader with any imagination might easily see some resem blance to a relative or neighbor. From the start the idea was a smash hit with the public. Most readers fake a per sonal interest in the family, and this com step, the first thing Is to make the public want better enforcement, the second is to see to it that officialdom provides better en forcement. Once those two forces are brought to bear on the problem, the press is then in a position to hammer along toe drive until ft assumes really worth while propor tions. But I think we'll all agree that no spasmodic, halfhearted, soon-forgotten cam paign is going to do toe job. You've got to hit it hard day after day. Beyond question toe main burden of edu cating -toe public falls on toe press. The words and toe wisdom 'are spoken by toe police officers and toe judges and toe safety council member^ but unless toe words and wisdom are carried into toe homes hy toe newspaper then, toe drive will fizzle and fade. To say that 50 per cent of the cam paign's impact on . the public is through the newspaper certainly is. ^understatement mon interest makes the savings of lives seem To our newspaper's mahagement thjs drive more of a community project than ever be has proven two things. The first faihat traf fore. How deep the impression made by the fic news, when properly handled, can com Joe Blanks was forcibly impressed on me pete with war news for Page One position. the day that Omaha witnessed the most - The second, admittedly a practical considera tragic accident of the year. An army truck tion, is that a successful traffic campaign is killed two small sisters. A few infantes a good promotional proposition for a after the mother had been informed that newspaper. Psychopathic Cases on Our Streets and Highways By LOWELL S. SELLING, MJX, FhJ>,, DrJPJEL Detroit, Midi. Superficially, one thinks of psychopathic cases as bring insane cases. Technically, psychopathic cases are all those who deviate from toe normal because of some peculiarity of their thinking processes. They may or may not be insane, feebleminded, and may or may not have one of toe abnormal types of personality that lead' people into crime. When we' physicians use toe term "psy chopathy" we include all deviations of Ifaihk- fag which might interfere .with a person's adjustment in his daily life. Persons who are timid, fearful, unreliable, undependable, or have any other handicapping mental traits, are all psychopathic. We do not label them such because of the implication of in sanity and, conversely, we do not consider everyone psychopathic because, each of. ns Street and Highway Traffic Section 85 has some abnormal reaction or abnormality also true that- sometimes cases come before of our thinking machinery sometime during all of die members of die staff and we have our lives. trouble deciding whether they are sane,' nor I want to make myself very dear at the outset that I do not believe the majority of mal or abnormal, good or bad risks on die highway. driven, have a mental disorder. For that However, the Traffic Division of the. Psy matter, I do not believe the greater number chopathic Clinic of the Recorder's Court is ^of drivers who have only one, or at the the only one of its kind in die country. It is most, two accidents in a long period can be the only unit .which completely studies the considered abnormal; but I do think there driver, taking from four to six hours, if not is a great leavening of abnormal drivers longer, to do so, which makes a survey of among highway occupants. From studies' ' the man's physical condition, including blood made in the Psychopathic Clinic of Detroit's test for the presence or absence of syphilis, Recorder's Court, I am convinced die num a urine analysis, a psychological test of in ber of drivers, with,mental peculiarities and telligence, complete history, evaluates atti .) quirks which make them dangerous is much tude toward the traffic laws, knowledge of larger than one would suspect the traffic laws, personality surveys, psychia In 1936, shortly after I became Director of the Psychopathic Clinic of the Recorder's Court, an mstitotion which had .at that time tric examination, and all of the other fea tures that go to making for a complete un derstanding of the offender. been in existence for about lS.years for the purpose of examining offenders of all sorts, Case* Referred by Judges tndoding. traffic violators, who had - been Cases are referred to ns by the Traffic brought before die judges of that tribunal, it Judges because they show abnormalities occurred to me that one service which the either physically or mentally. They may get Clinic was . competent to render was not into peculiarly unnecessary altercations at being exploitetfto its uttermost. the time of their arrest; they may behave as Mr. Alan Canty, who had spent a number of years as an examiner in the Personnel Division of the Cleveland Street Railway Company, and had spent several yean as psychologist on the Clinic staff, very fortu nately was well equipped to collaborate in the creation of a special unit, to see why traffic offenders got into trouble. We .were able to.set up a unit which consists of Mr. though they were drunk, but they may ex plain die accident by saying'that they were physically side, tired, or had some other reason tor putting on the appearance of being drunk and yet, since there was no real dem onstration of alcoholism present, the Judge wishes an. evaluation. They 'may have a string of tickets about which die- Judge asks the questions "Why?'' Canty; and an assistant^who aids in the ad- All in all, the purpose of die Clinic is to ministration of some of die psychophysical keepas many drivers as posable on the high tests and history taking; mid a secretary. way, but only allow those drivers who are 1 After Mr. Canty and his assistant have finished taking a thorough social history of die case in ruder to understand the offender's background, how he was brought up, bow be has developed his attitudes toward society, die police;, and driving, and after they have tested his judgment of speed and distance, his depth perception, reaction time and other traits, die case is passed on in a thoroughly worked-up condition to me for a final check- reasonably safe to continue to'drive without treatment. 'For others treatment must be \ provided in the .form of a.sentence, psychia tric treatment, medical treatment, advice, coaching, discussion of the problem, probation, and innumerable other technics. Among , | the aged*''die very- sick the mentally tin- jj sound, and those of bad attitudes, it is some- \: tune necessary to remove many from the highway entirety; up. It is nqr job to see whether die man Most of die case* referred are recondite. might be insane, and . to decide what per Their symptoms are not so dearly seen that sonality defect accounts for his trouble. Fre-; they could have: been eliminated during the quendy the work that has already been done licensue burean examination, and we do . see in many cases makes die facts so dear dot cases from the-Ikense bureau about which it I have but tittle trouble in deciding. It is is in doubt; cases who have been discharged ?V> >j 86 30th National Safety Congress from mental hospitals as cored' but who should be surveyed because many times a mentally sick person has sufficiently recov ered so that he can earn a living and get along with people but not sufficiently so that he is safe under the great pressure of modem traffic conditions. It seems very peuculiar to me that so little research is being done , on the matter of die mentality of die. driver. Most of die driver research follows the lines of development of apparatus which would measure certain abilities. of Ins driving ability. If the superintendent feels he is not well enough to. drive a car, he certifies that fret to the Minister of Trans port and the man's license is withheld. In many states there is a provision in die traffic code that; the motorvehidje adminis trator may witfahold the license of any mffividual until he is definitely assured 'tint such an iodhndnal is,mentally and physically able to operate a car. This particnlariy applies to persons who have been adjudicated insane but have been legally rertored to sanity. Seek New Data The procedure in Detroit is: After a per son has been discharged from a mental.hos pital, his license haring automatically been . The Clinic in its many1researches by Mr. Canty and me has tended to gather, data of revoKtQ pcousc ox ms commitntenTg oe ts referred by the flohse bureau to theGink, a new sort. The stress in our work has been which makes a thorough survey. We found laid upon the problem driver. Our group is about half of die cases referred to ns in the not typical of all persons who have accidents. Our maximum capacity is really about 300 past year, who have been discharged from a mental hospital, were stable to drive. cases a year although under great pressure such as we have had during the past 10 . What are the common symptoms of hw months we can be stepped up about 20 per sanity which might be recognized by enforce- cent more. ment officers? We demand five years of Hie first group of abnormal drivers who - special training, psychiatry after graduation from medical school before we allow grad are without question worthy of our attention uates to call themselves specialists. H doc is the insane. Even in rides where there are a number of highly developed psychiatric and tors have to vend full time for five years in studying these people, I cannot, in this space; mental hygiene clinics there are individuals who suffer from mental diseases. Some of them have never been sent to a doctor and in many cases their own families do not know they are insane. In some communities make yon even vaguely competent to pan upon diagnoses. The. following symptoms are important; however, if they art- observed in a driver: the presence of. a great deal more js mmliy found at the where the hospitals are overcrowded jnsane patients who are seemingly harmless from die standpoint of homicide or criminal be^ havior are allowed to remain at. large until there is a vacant bed. The longer tbe.dday after the detection of the mental disease, just time, of arrest; a very voluble perron,'a tendency to argue,- a person who won't stop tailring, who rambles, whose'speech is d& connected, makes inappropriate wise cracks and is funny because he Is so childish. as in die case of a physical disorder, die Bizarre ideas and delusions are important more difficult it is to apply successful in-the insane cases. Individuals who believe treatment that die poKpe are persecuting them beyond Other questionable cases, as J have just pointed out, are those who have been dis die mere facts of the current arrest often are suffering from, dementia praecox. It must not be forgotten that policemen, like all charged from State Hospitals as sodalfr cured. Thar major symptoms have disap peared, and except-for driving a car, die hospital discharging authority feels they are safe. other humans, can make errors; hot is a role; there is enoughstabilityinthe normal driver that he can disagree mentally and fed . be is unjustly treated without harboring a grudge and suspecting the policeman of. an In Ontario an excellent procedure has been tagonistic motive. Usually die sick person - developed. The superintendent of a mental does not refer his difficulty to the present' hospital who is about to discharge a patient - arrest, but can cite a number of previous is expected to evaluate that patient in terms conflicts with die law where he believes that Street and Highway Traffic Section 87 the police were persecuting him, but where, up later in our research on the subject, in fact, he had perhaps not even any contact 'should be removed from .the highway until with the police; the whole matter being a such time-as the cause of the. disorder has figm^ of bis nomination.' been detected and such treatment has been ' A traffic case which we have had, is that of an individnal who bdieved that there was a gang of people making trooble. for him, instituted. . He should be checked over a reasonable time as to show tfaait foe patient is notgoing to have furtherlapses. r?- that they had tampered with hisspeedometer and placed a policeman on his trail. Upon Where Shall We Draw the Line? investigating Ids case ate learned that be had been under a psychiatrist's care for some time, that i foe psychiatrist had. urged his hoqdtafizatkm but the'fannerwere unwilling : Another group of psychopathic cases whomf ^ we find to be very important are the feeble- j minded. ' \, to accede and this arrest was the result of Somewhere between the group that we call theirfailureto' cooperate... *. normal and foe imbeciles and 'idiots must be ma Another very common mental disorder is paresis, a disease of the brain or spinal cord due to syphilis. Fortunately we have menas at our disposal for early treatment of. dis orders of this sort In foie acute stage, how ever/before the treatment and in some cases who do not entirely recover under treat ment, one type of behavior abnormality that they might manifest is a reaction to false a place where we should draw the line as far as drivmg.is concerned, but that place is hard to determine. The Clinic has been un able to hit upon any level where it can say categorically that those above foe level should drive and those below should not Certainly those who are vox low in intelli.gence, who are dose to the imbecile level, are unable to drive. ideas of grandeur. They believe that they are On the other side of some hypothetical extremely' wealthy. Hospital patients of this . line we find persons -who are technically type in all sincerity often give horses worth- . classed by psychologists and psychiatrists as Iess chedcs for millions of dollars. bang mildly feebleminded. They do not do There is, in almost all mental disorders which are .due to actual destruction of parts of the brain, a specific kind of confusion. We musf admit that occasionally a blow on die head at die time of ah accident will cause bewildennent,in a normal person but it does not pay always to holm such assumptions. There are dues on record in oar Qinic where organic brain disease has. made die than confused so that the accident was really doe to die fact that he just did not know what he was doing. too well economically but they are able to make a living for themselves, marry, sup port-their families, and rear their children in such a way as not -to get in too modi trouble, they progress perhaps to the third or fourth grade in school, and never get in trouble while they are drivm&Sqote reasons for fos nullification of foe feblemindedness are as follows: these patients imve excellent attitudes; they take an interest in other peo ple and want to aO them as little barm as possible; their actual physiological reactions are showed by reaction time tests which are Cases of organic brain disease, like epUejH not .slowed down; they are physiologically hi tics, are apt to lose consciousness' suddenly good coodition; they have thoroughly learned and are apt .to faint at die wheeL We have ' by rote and fay application foe rules, of foe cases on record where pawns have lost con road and the rules of courtesy. Such people sciousness for.the following- reasons: (1) an are quite safe. over-dbse of sedatives or analgesic drug; (2) syphilis of the brain; (3$ encephalitis . lethargka (or sleeping sickness), of long standing; (4) epilepsy; (5) kidney disease or hart disease; and (6) foe. Improper use <of insulin by a person with an abnormal, The last group of bad drivers that I can discuss is. that with, faulty attitudes. These people are not suffering from mental dis ease; .but for a number of reasons they are mentally maladjusted.' personality. Anybody, of course, as many of . -They may have developed % great dislike our state laws now recognize, ' who has a for a father or step-fatber so that, since the tendency to lose consdoosness for any of father represents tew and.order in the fam these reasons, or for others which mayshow ily, other representatives of law hnd order 88 30th National Safety Congress such as the police are rejected by them. Thor bate them and they even develop a neurotic attitude toward them. Others have feelings of inferiority for which they must compen sate by driving rapidly or driving in a showy fashion to impress their colleagues of their ability to drive. tildes which I have not been ^able tqcovri in this report Probably thererare i __ __ of different types of attitndinal^defects which we can find in drivers which deserve analysis and which might be very important in die treatment of such drivers to Ibake diem safe on the highway. One reason, I am sure, that there are so I should like to say one wonTabout many accidents among young drivers is not raent Insane cases should be 1 _ only their inexperience but their desire to should be put under a physidahVcbipe. Many compensate for being young and for being in of them do get well. The earlier we catch a jposition of inferiority in die familywhere them--and we can catch them early if they ^Hey'are dominated by their elders. Some are brought in for traffic law violations--the times they compensate for physical defects, greater -the chance for successful treatment tfieir inability to be athletic, so tfa^ they are The feebleminded need to be considered with dangerous drivers and are' hard to control. great care because a great deal of expert Young drivers, too, among die maladjusted knowledge is needed to deride whether any group, have no knowledge of what it means feebleminded prison should drive. Great in to 'cause a death, injury, or loss of property, justices can be done and a great expense am and until they have a grievous experience, be created for die state by loriring up such which none of us would want them to have people or even taking away their driver's for learning purposes, they never acquire a licenses if they are relatively safe behind decent attitude towards other people so far the wheeL as driving Is concerned. Attitudina! cases are the kind that we ex- There are other problem persons: the old pect our courts to treat. Since there are no people who are stodgy and slow and are not other clinics connected with the traffic courts able to react quickly. We must realize that than our own, these cases are often badly on the highway there are certain expecta handled, and are often, handled routinely tions that each of us have about the drivers rather than individually. There is no effort around us. We expect that they will obey made to remove the cause of the acrident- the law, that they will react at. a certain . proneness. For instance, there are many cases speed, that they will make decisions within a where the offender is suffering from an in certain distance of an object, and all these feriority reaction where the cause can be re things make for safe driving on the part of moved which will render him safe on the both motor car operators. The old people highway. In other cases where the attitude are not predictable in this sense. is bad, coaching, psychological treatment and c. Old people also, unless they are extremenly well preserved, show some deterioration of the nervous system. They react with an ex cess of caution-due to a vast experience or background ofojdistakes which-they have seen made. .This has shaken their faith in themselves. It is my feeling that most of drivers over 70 are not safe. explaining have, in our experience, been of great value. This type of individualized treat ment is not possible where the Court only - sentences to such tilings as probation, fine, or a period of incarceration. We realize that this sketchy mention of treatment does not give a listening judicial expert anything to go on, and I hope sometime to be able to expiate further on the treatment of traffic There are innumerable cases.of faulty atti- cases but the time does not permit here. * " i . Report of the Committee cm Winter Driving Hazards ByRALPH A. MOYER .,, Research Associate Professor of Highway Engineering. Iowa State CoDege/ Ames, Is. and Chairman of the Committee The following are the Conclusions and Committee on Winter Driving The Recommendations in the 1941 report of the complete report is available in pamphlet form "I awLy \UThe form Streefond Highway Traffic Section` 89 hfim die Cbundrs Traffic Engineering Bureau. The report, entitled fWInter Traffic Safe ty," oatlines the winter driving problem and presents a balanced winter traffic safety pro gram. -The results of winter speed observa tions and of traction tests on road ice are given. Pictures from "No Use Skidding," the prize winning setond slide film produced by the Committee, are shown. J, 4. Conclusions and Recommendations The National. Defense program has * 4. An effective winter traffic safety greatly increased traffic movements, much gram for city or state centers arou of which is. essential and must get through ance of activities, indnding driver education, in the winter regardless of road of weather highway maintenance, accident analysis, en conditions. It is imperative, therefore, that gineering improvements, road conditions re highways be maintained in condition for porting, and traffic law enforcement Foil travel reasonably free of ice and snow. It cooperation should exist between those re is important that vehicles be equipped with sponsible for road maintenance and those tire chains for added traction on icy and responsible for traffic safety. snowy - roadways, and with. proper head ; and tail lights and windshield defrosters > and wipers for adequate visibility during. ' snow or sleet storms and 'daring longer' Hours of. darkness. 5. Drivers must appreciate -hazards of winter driving and understand ways of sur mounting than if they are to avoid trouble on the highway. Thus, a broad educational program should be conducted by those re 2. The sound slide film, "No Use Skid sponsible for traffic safety. Drivers should ding l" should be shown before all types of know that: drivers. It explains the. major causes of winter traffic casualties and tells the ^driver what-he can do to avoid accidents. Braking distances on icerP&dccd snow, and wet pave ment. Some of`the'important questions -asked and answered relate to the weather, tire chains, pumping the brakes, and spread (a) Ice and snow increases braking dis tances from 3 to 11 times that required on dry pavements. Wet ice U twice as slippery as dry ice. Glare road ice and the smooth ice of a frozen lake give comparable braking distances. ing abrasives. (b) Speeds must be materially reduced on 3. Vehicle speed studies conducted by the Committee indicated that: slippery pavements to avoid dangerous skidding. Speeds should be in the nor mal driving range of other traffic and ! (a) The speed at which a motor vehicle passing kept to a minimum. Observa <ls driven on a slippery roadway is de termined to a greater extent by the tions indicate that drivers are reduc ing speeds on ice and snow, but > . driver's confidence in brag able to i f ' maintain lateral control than by any consideration he may give to his abil- nowhere near in proportion to the greatly increased distances required to stop. I ity to stop the vehicle on the slippery . surface if a situation should arise where a sudden stop would beneces. sary. (c) The rales for safe driving tinder ad verse road and weather conditions > are fundamentally: adjust speeds to conditions, slow down well in advance (b) Physical discomfort to the driver may precede actual danger in stopping or, in rounding curves on dry pavement. 'On packed snow and ice, however, danger can come long before discotn- of intersections and corves,. follow other vehicles at safe distances, apply brakes lightly .mid intermittently, and signal intentions of turning or stop ping. v fort and the driver may find himself (d) Tire chains reduce minimum broking in serious, danger without warning un distances4on ice and snow around 40 to less he operates with the knowledge of 50. per cent They provide fairly uni . thelimitations of safe driving rather than merely operatingby "feel." form traction on dry and wet ice. Observations showed speeds of vehicles if - * . /fir. 30th National Safety Congress equipped `with tire chains to be com of circumstances involved in accidents at parable to speeds of other vehicles. dangerous locations. _x~\. 6. Snow and ice removal and the spreading of abrasives to facilitate traffic movement and to reduce the hazards of skidding are func tions of a highway department vital to the interests of motor vehicle drivers. "Bare pavement maintenance" is recommended along primary roads, especially in metropol itan areas. Abrasive treated with chloride shoold be spread at all danger points and> along complete sections of highway", carry ing heavy traffic volumes. 8. Icy and snowy(^oadTsurfaces often ac centuate the need, fot-'engineering improve ments at various points along a highway. These nay include changes in road align ment, hanking of curves, and new or altered traffic control measures. ' . 9. The motoring public and commercial vehicle operators should be provided with regular reports on road conditions if they tre at all severe due to ice arid snow. The radio and newspapers are toe most valuable media for. toe dissemination of this informa 7. Analysis of accident reports provides tion. Warnings of cricondhg storms should valuable information for both maintenance be given as fair in advance as posriUe. and traffic engineers. Those responsible^ for 10. An active enforcement program should road maintenance should be informed of be maintained toning toe winter ajonths. accident concentrations due to slippery or Drivers should be held responsible for apei-. other dangerous road surface conditions at dents involving skidding when proper pre 'f. intersections or along sections of highway. cautions were not exercised. Parking viola Those responsible for traffic engineering can tions should be held to a minimum when best determine most needed improvements in roads-are slippery, especially those encroach traffic control, road design, etc, by a study ing on a moving traffic lane. FRIDAY MORNING SESSION October 10, 1941 General Session Presiding--W. Gsahax Cole, Director of Safely Bureau, Metropolitan Life Tnwr^nne Company, New York City. CHAIRMAN COLE: Your newly-elect ed General. Chairman, Carl J. Rutland, per suaded me to pinch hit for him, being toe First Vice-Chairman. The first procedure on toe program tots morning is a report from one of our very effective committees, toe CnmmHfre of Traf fic Court Judges, and Prosecutors. The re port will be presented by its Chairman, Judge Joe M. -HQL Report of the Committee of Traffic Court Judges and Prosecutors * By JUDGE JOE HILL Corporation Court; Dallas, Texas, Chairman of toe Committee The complete report of toe committee is data reported in answer to a special ques available in pamphlet form from toe Coun tionnaire, and tiie following standards and cil's Traffic Engineering Bureau. recommendations: The complete report covers activities of toe committee; table showing traffic court or ganization and administration, table showing traffic court procedure, trends indicated by Standards and Eocommendations A. Based on National Traffic Safety Contest and Committee Studies: dot -` a..,.?.!-..*. -- ."A* i .11*1 ftm i 14M1.I1 <1414414 . .. Street ond Highwey Traffic Section 91 at )l uesand rfesi ) ' X'BSs$jd bu values determined by reports 9. The bureau should handle foe least haz from 403 tines partidpatingin die National ardous violations and should deal withtnov- Traffic: Safety Contest, die National Safety ing offenses only when tbey respond to treat Council .now recommends fall-time traffic ment outside die court room. Major traffic counts for dtfes'having apopolation of 250,- law violations should never be hailed fa a 000 or more. The Council recommends that violations bureau. in til tides not having fan-time traffic courts special traffic sessions of the regular court be held, either, in the way of traffic sessions on certain days, or die segregating of traffic. cases bydifferent hoars on the'daily docket 10. Traffic judges should recognize the fact that a knowledge/of traffic laws, traffic policing and engineering is necessary fa ad dition to a legal background and should aim to obtain an understanding of these factors. 2..Special studies by the Committee, as in dicated fa die tabulations of this report, are in linewitiyshese recommendations, and the Qimau^e ott^tadw standards set up far die ' Cbandlras a guide .fa organizing for the 11. Traffic judges should not be selected .far local authority or on a localized barns when appointment or election cm a wider scaleis possible. proper and.ibcpediriom handling of traffic 12. `When more than one magistrate is available for the traffic bench, it. is recom B. Bated on recommendations of the Na mended that one judge assigned to that post tional- Committee on Traffic Law En pennanendy.or for a long period, rather than forcement: _ the use of a system of rotation of judges. 1. All courts should treat traffic cases apart from their other business. 2. Special courts for traffic cases are neces sary When the number of cases reach 7*500 per year with a Violations Bureau in opera tion, and. 15,000 per year when there is no Bureau. 3. The ideal. traffic court organization would be on a State barns with various dis trict courts, and with circuits operating from each district. . 13- Prosecutors, who should be given the titie "Public Attorney" or "Public Solicitor" or a similar term, should be assigned to traf fic courts for aid in the disposition of cases. 14. The primary aim of the traffic court should be to impress defendants with the need for traffic law observance rather than to penalize. C. Study of .Recommended Standard* and' Practices in Traffic Court*. 'A Physical court-room conditions should The Committee recommends that all judges be improved as to facilities, arrangements, who hear traffic cases shotdd' familiarize cleanliness and appearance. themselves with the recommendations of the 5. The taxing of court costs as a separate penalty dmtdd be eliminated and die fines assessed fa one stmx. If costs are faefaded they should he fa a reasohable amount. . 6. Violations Bureaus should be used when . i Natioud Committfapn.TnfifeLawEnforcement; and should fake steps insofar as local situations will permit to adjust their court apd court procedure .to those recommenda tions. the numbo' of traffic cases make itimpossible D. Uniform Classification of Offense* for dm amrt fo properly dispose of them. 7. The boms of all; violations bureaus should be a signed plea of guilty and waiver of trial. . The uniform' classification of. offenses, as promulgated far the Federal Bureau .of In vestigation, shmdd be adopted and foOcfwed fa. classifying traffic offenses, with as many & Schedules of fines charged in die viola sub-divisions of the items as may be desir tions bureau should not be alterable. able in different jurisdictions. CHAIRMAN COTE: Since the found ing of the Street and Highway Traffic Sec tion we have been most fortunate fa haying as Secretary a staff member, bur friend Earl wicp jsecanse ot certain Mmini&tnmyc duties^itjvas necessary for him to make a change and we regret exceedingly at -not having Earl with us. -We arefortunate; how ever, fa having a man film Harvey Booth to replace Earl as Secretary of tins Section. The next paper is far Sgt C. F. Van BlankensUyu. .... . - '. . . ri?i 92 30th National Safety Congress When Should the Adolescent Be Permitted to Drive? By SBRGT. C. F. VanBLANKENSTBYN Traffic and Safety Division, Michigan State Policy East Lansing, Mich. This is an age of youth. We who are in There are a few children who reside in the "driver's seat," so to speak, must not, areas in which it is necessary-for parents in our zealousness to reduce accidents, ill- to' provide transportation to secondary advisedly take action which will unneces schools. Also, there are the children, of sarily impede youth's progress. Neverthe farmers who make deliveries of their parents' less, such action must be taken as reliable produce en route to school. It is essential facts , and common experience, duly con that- special consideration be given ,to these sidered,' disclose to be desirable.. young people. -There are few others whose To "say when"--at what age has an transportation problems are comparable. individual acquired the attributes qualifying Of course, it may be said that the privilege turn to discharge driver responsibilities, must to drive is generally necessary for juveniles, be preceded by serious study. 14 years of age or older, so they may do Among essential considerations are: need for the use of a motor vehicle, benefits and detriments resulting horn better privileged errands for their parents. .But is it not true that most parental errands are ones which are merely wished off upon the youngsters? to drive, knowledge of traffic laws and safe, Pleasure^ however, is important, especially-' practices, and physical'and altitudinal fitness from the standpoint of the child of the for licensure. Respecting the latter con parent who wishes to suffer no more the sideration, the factors which determine this, insistent request; "Father, Mother, may I I believe, are of the greatest importance. drive? .1 know bow. I know all the laws. Youth itself would make short shrift of our question. Youth's confidence is infinite-- Jimmy K-- drives all the time. (Boy! do. the fellows thinks he is lucky!)." and youth's interests and desires are in Generally, the only thing the driver privi volved. Maturity's confidence is moderated lege granted to a youngster does is to pro-, and expresses itself as pessimistic optimism . vide him with a toy and an opportunity or optimistic pessimism. to emulate grownups. , The one expresses itself rashly; the other, respecting problems of youth, with an in clination to impatience and derogation;"*hi fairness, therefore, we must be as objective as posable We must clarify the problem of the youthful driver as much as possible It inflates his ego and gives him -a sense of superiority over the lads who do not yet have the privilege or opportunity of driving; Based uponlspedal privilege or possessions, this feeling is one which should never be cultivated. In my discussion, I attempt to do this by Tom now to a practical consideration of backing far away from the immediate ques- . . the public interest What are the essential tion and approaching its solution first by attributes of a good driver? Unquestionably, answering, "Why does one want to drive?",! an important one is social consciousness. Has and then, step fay step, progressing to the he a desirable attitude or viewpoint respect desired conclusion. ing bis obligation .toward others? Is it There are but two reasons one wants to mature? Is it adequate? Does it enable him drive--pleasure, and business or necessity, to weigh personal considerations burly in with a "shading off" from the one to the relation to those of fdlow members of other. society until whom he is unacquainted, per It is reliably estimated that 60 per cent sons who are strangers to him? oi all motor vehicle operation is for this' Is he willing to "give," ,irrespective of purpose. Use by children under 18, however, return, in order to assure .mutual safety? must be nearly 100 per cent for pleasure. And do tbit, despite another's indicated There are few requirements that make the inclination to the contrary? In other words, nse of motor vehicles a necessity for them. has he achieved a development of character & e of Fety? ated ords, acter Street and Highway Traffic Section 93" rS j| and understanding which enables him to time of owCning\'and operating a motor vehicle evaluate^without bias the relationship of one upon the judgment of your dufabtiFft to 18? human with another? And to conduct him This is what most of you do vmenypu sign self accordingly when one of those hmnans your name to his application fohar driver's is himself? i license. Do you want children of 14 to 18 Does he know that beyond the statutory laws are the "safe practices''?' And that to vote? To exercise fully the prerogatives of adults? always he must be prepared to subordinate The questions that can be askedSconce his rights to die duty to avoid accidents? -- ing what the child should .be `do or can be relied upon to do intelligently Has he had practice in making decisions are infinite in number. Yet the answers to whidi are acts of "judgment"? them 'must usually be qualified to the ex Can we be satisfied that liis judgments treme. hi nearly every care the answer is: respecting problems of driving a motor ve "Yes,,plus a `but' of foil nugatory value." hicle will properly take i into account the Ami it must be acknowledged that essential values and relations involved? needs for young people to be licensed to As a test for this question and before an attempt is made to answer it, consular the following: What bas the yonth got byyray Of driver qualifications? Skill and aptitude for skill? Usually. Knowledge? Probably. But what about die other considerations? operate motor vehicles are few and their, judgment most be seriously questioned when they are, not subject to zmmaliate authori tative supervision. Moreover, denial of driver privileges to the adolescent is no dis service to him. What about social consciousness?' Is he'sp Consequently, all-that is left.is the ques matured, that regard for other members tion, "From the standpoint of public interest, society will habitually outweigh impulsive is it desirable tint persons 14 to 18 years ness? Wat about experience in jodjpng?^ of age be privileged to drive motor vehicles?" The answers to these, questions can .rd:ie arrived at only by implication. They depend largely upon ah appraisal of personal at tributes whidi are fundamental both to good The answer is, "Not unless they are sub ject to suitable restrictions and to adequate supervision." It has been demonstrated that it is undesirable otherwise. driving and to- dependability and self-suffi Drivers, in point of number and "expo ciency in other phases of human endeavor. sure," ranging in age from 14 to 19, ap Are you willing to let your Iif^.-in a hazardous traffic situation, depend upbn the unpracticed judgment of an adolescent? parently have for more than their share of accidents. A table bearing out .tins con clusion may be found in U. S. Public Roads Administration's publication. The .Accident Would you be willing -to make a child of Prone Driver. This, table shows the actual that age a police officer empowered to de number , of drivers in any age group who prive you of your liberty according to his have been involved in fatal accidents as evaluation of a set of drcujmstances involving .compared .with the expected number. The you? ^ expected number is.determined by knowing You who are parents, jdo you leave him free to select his companions and intimates? bow many licensed drivers there are in any particular age group; Le., if any age group has 10 per cent of all drivers, then it is Do you permit him to be the sole judge expected that 10 $er cent of' foe drivers respecting the purchases of clothing, lus involved in fatal accidents would be in that diet, his reading? .*> Do you permit him--if he saved or earned the money--to go at will to a strange city, there to stay at any place of his choice and to engage in such divertisements as be may age group. Therefore,' if the actual number exceeds foe expected number ui any age group, it indicates that the drivers of that particular group are poorer drivers than would be expected. desire? Are you,governed by his advice in When, then, should a person first be per matter^ of foqdlyfinance? mitted to drive? Would you be willing to wager your life- Age is merely incidental. It is important sSvJ i t* i V-*1 94 30th National Safety Congress only as a partial Indication of time at which which is characteristic of normal maturity a child will-normally have readied a pres . it may reasonably be assumed tint he should stage' of maturity. Between 14 and 18, he be capable of .sound judgment , in meeting may be expected to acquire such social traffic situation*--particularly those involv responsibility, judgment, knowledge and; ing an interplay of duties and responsibilities physical development as to fit him for driver between bimsrif and others. responsibilities. When a child meets the test , in this re The National Safety Council states: "The spect, he should be permitted to apply for reasons for differences of accident experience a driver's license. But who is to determine in different age groups are a matter of whether a child is so qualified? Admittedly, speculation. Few young drivers suffer from the parent, generally, cannot be depended physical deficiencies or disabilities; therefore upon to makf a very reliable appraisal in the higher accident rates among 'unsea this connection. Undoubtedly, first choice soned* drivers must tie largely due to inex will be the child's school teacher. This perience or immaturity, the former being a person is in the best position to assay die matter of undeveloped knowledge and skill, . pupil's development. Perhaps, in die coarse whereas the latter is one of attitude; It is .-of'die several years during which children impossible, on die basis of facts available, v^re subject, to specific safety training, teach even to estimate the relative importance of ers cbumpmodicaliyfiliout'<ratmg" forms experience and immaturity, but certainly - which would give reliable indications as to while raising the minimum age limits for growth. To nqr knowledge however, hobo is driver licenses would prevent that part of adequately comprehensive to proride a cue the accidents doe to immaturity of drivers in to the solution of our problems, although we the ages dropped, it can only postpone: to a might well gamble dot the rating , a child later age group die part doe to inexperience, receives upon his. qualities of ddsemh^ and since older persons learn less quickly would be die proper rating of his altitu and easily, it might be assumed that the dinal fitness for driver licensing1 ultimate hazard of inexperience might then be slightly increased." Effective use of such ratings1 could be It is ay belief that "inexperience" must lie considered in a much broader sense than as bring a matter of undevelopedknowledge and drill with specific reference to driving. affected by rdemng them to die driver licensing authphy^This agency would use than in determining whether adolescent ap plicants should be licensed.-. Experience os an effective member of society is a determining factor. Only such experience can make possible intelligent use of'knowledge and drill. It is the attitudes molded by this experience that determines brw knowledge and skill shall be expressed. Clearly, the answer' to our question can In this connection, there would necessarily be many variations. Generally, however,, the. issuance of licenses to juveniles up to 18 years of age might follow somewhat this schedule: Subject to general prerequisites for licens ing. not be found in speculation revolving around 1. Eating poor--denial of license.7 either accident records or knowledge and . skill, without an appraisal of the drills; . 2. Hating fair--license restricted to driv maturity. ing under parental superyiskm. The fact that,the-law permits licensing of drivers at 14, 16 or 18 ,1s of minor impor- . tance. Whether a person Is ready for a 3. Rating good--license restricted to driv ing to and from school and upon mis sions for parents. driver's license must be determined i>6t alone by his knowledge of the'traffic laws and re lated safe practices, nor by his apparent 4. , Rating excellent--unrestricted license, -same as adults. physical ability to handle a motor vehicle, Of course; there are no such ratings.avail-' but in addition his judgment and responsi able at present But lacking them is no bility must be appraised, if his growth in reason totally to ignore die factors to which these latter two respects approximates that they would relate. % V S ff fi* . S H f f B i'S t t f t g 'iW f iv i . -< w a* -re, I irity oald sting rolv[ities Street and Highway Traffic Section 95 I urge that licensing authorities , take it upon; themselves, diligently to determine so far as possible whether juvenile applicants with whom they are engaged possess the attributes upon which we hare placed so much emphasis in this discussion. In the course of their interviews, examiners have many opportunities to appraise the de velopment, Me, of their .applicants. To these appraisals they should give great weight. If one's conclusion inclines him to believe an applicant lades in essential development, he should be empowered to disapprove die application upon this alone. Although a few inequities would result, these would tin- doubtedly be far offset by the good that would be accomplished. Further, a word should be said concerning the driver. licensing law in respect to juve niles. As an aid to the state licensing authority, the sections as tb the age of drivers contained in die Uniform Motor Vehicle Operators' and Chauffeurs' License Act II should be adopted by every state legislature. These provisions, at you know, permit the issuance of full privilege driver licenses to persons 16 years ,of age and older, and of restricted licenses when desired to persons from 14; The public interests and the personal needs of all individuals are safeguarded fay. diese provisions. only f,tiie. o 18 this drhr- *nse, mil*' s no shidt' i M Oeneral Discussion .might be even more interested in a further MARK T. CASTER (Lincoln,Sfebr.) stodfy of these reports. I can't teU you. I You suggested a judicious restriction of-die use.of die car after midnight by juveniles. How would you. accomplish that? ' wasn't able to carry my -study out' far enough to get at the residences of these .people involved m the fatal road aeddents, .bat there Is SfertHefield for inquiry there, SGT. VAN BLANKENSTEYN: I did Fmsure. not mean to indicate my restriction as be JUDGE HUGH L. SMITH (San Fran coming effective only after midnight Per cisco, Calif.): Do you know how. the immhaps the toms of die license should pro ' her of aeddents in which adolescents' are hibit diem from driving after midnight (or -involved would compare, with die total perhaps we^oqgfaf to have a curfew). Yon number of accidents in which adults are see,.I am just playing around with the idea. involved? We .- are talking about something which sbouldrecehre a great deal of. study by a sizeable committee. i5GT..VAN. BLANKEMSTEYN: I can not give you an answer to that If the seri ousness of the aeddents, however* is any Why -not acurfewin this sense- (mind ' Indication, we would say that thdr experi you, I am only playing.withan idea): that ence was actually paralleled--that iv their after seven o'dodc or after nine o'clock toe general driving experience. ~ . adolescent of at feast certain prescribed years would have to be accompanied by an adult when driving? Apehnal of die in ' .JUDGE SMITH: Then why curtail the ' adolescent and lealve die adult alone? dividual accident report serins to indicate S&T. VAN BLENKENSTEYN: The thisrithsit when little Johnnie, aged 17, is . development of judgment is something tost out with Ins parents, it .is more tion.likriy, coxnes with practice. ! We learn to. exercise tf involved, in an accident, that ft'is-hot his: judgment by practicing die exercise of judg fault However;, our study murt go farther. ment As I stated in iay paper, die child That is just an independent carefromthese should, at a certain age; be assumed to be 136 reports. ready to.begin to learn. It seems prettyweH indicated that when JUDGE SMITH: All of us who have Johnnie is out with companions of Ids own children have the same problem. Boys want age, he is headed for trouble. Oneof these * to go to a dance and they, want to take the after-midnight accidents inyotvedayoungster family car. We might say, "You cairt \ driving down a rural highway mt .75- miles die car out at night if you aregoingto.be an hour. Incidentally, you wdl notice that out after 12.".. But we know that toe boys most of these accidents are roraL We who. don't begin moving! until about 11 andthey are concerned with die farm child problem. don't get borne until two or three o'dock. V. .. $i'! i 11%'. mi in; 96 30th National Safety Congress as a rule. As a-consequence, we would have to deprive them of the use of die family car. The point is: would we be justified in doing that if their accident experience is no great er than that of the adults? elevate him to die next level; and then from that level to the next higher fond, and so forth. I dunk there is a committee job here. No one person, to my mind,' can settle this question. . . SGT. VAN BLANKENSTEYN: Their JUDGE SMITH: I want you to under total accident experience is greater than stand that I am heartily in accord with your that of adults. Item No. Tin our 'reference suggestions but I am trying to find some real indicates that the driver under 20 years of basis for differentiating the adolescent from age has 72 per cent more accident experience the adult When you say he has a record of than he should have. This refers to the-ac 72 per cent more, accidents tahn he should cident pcperience of the juvenile without . have^ what do you use as a norm?--what is referring Whis exposure upon die. highway 'in'rqjjard to die number of miles driven. But as you can see-,- it'still shows a 72 per cent worse experience than would normsdly be expected. In playing around with the idea we yodrhormal experience? - * SGT: VAN'BLANKENSTEYN: Well, if you?-willJust refer to [my paper] and note ;the table given there, you will see the answer to your .question. thought of this: Let us say die child obtains ; .CHAIRMAN COLE: The next item on a license at 16 and that he has just a fair i the program, promises to be a most interest- rating on his social development and fitness/ . ing one. It is to be a panel discussion on: for driver responsibility. If during die first' how we can keep traffic casualties down in year he hasn't been involved in any accidents the defense emergency? Our leader, will be through his own fault; if he hasn't been Mr. 'Sidney J. Williams, of the National arrested for violations; then automatically Safety Council. How Can We Keep Traffic Casualties Down in the Defense Emergency? A Panel Discussion ^ Discussion Leader--Sidney J. Williams, Director, Public Safety Division, National Safely Council, Chicago. ' CHAIRMAN .WILLIAMS: Will my trained seals kindly step forward at tills point? I realize this morning .for the first time why I was made Chairman of this panel The Program Committee foresaw that with me presiding here, a number of the members of my staff would regard it as diplomatic on their part to be present, tints swelling the number of the faithful delegates. Our subject is, "What can we do to stop traffic accidents, in the emergency defease situation?" We have really been talking about that all week, and all we can hope to do this morning (and all that these experi enced troopers; up here until me mil try to do) is to pull together some of these mani fold aspects of accidents in connection with the defense emergency; to try to give you a sort of overall picture of what we can do. You know all of the gentlemen at oar panel, I believe: George W. Barton, Traffic ' Engineer of tiie Chicago'Motor Club. Sgt. G F. Blankensteyn, Traffic and Safe ty Division, Michigan State Police, -East Lansing, Mich. . L. S. Harris, Executive Director of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, Washington, D. G Judge John Gutknecht, of the .Chicago Municipal Court Now we air know that the defense situa tion lias raised the traffic accident rate, and we all know that the special situations and problems arising out of the defense situation foil into two classes: those connected with military establishments and movements and ex y Street and Highway Traffic Section 97 those connected with new or greatly en larged defense industries. MR. BARTON: fa specific cases, yes.. CHAIRMAN ^WILLIAMS: Sergeant Mr. Barton represent an organization of Blankensteyn, what do yon. think, or what., motorists, and l am going to start by asking are. yon doing with respect to influencing dr what; in his opinion,.-, the private driver compelling the driver to do things in this should do differently from what he.has been situation. Or what are you doing in this doing all the time. situation that is^any different fromwhat yon . were doing ail the time? Improvement inPrivate Driving Intensifying Enforcement . GEO. W. BARTON: There are two an swers to that. Perhaps the only new thing we have done is to inform drivers of prob- Iems that will arise in 'defense areas, and of the problem* that he will meet on the high* way hi contact with military movements and SGT. BLANKENSTEYN: There isn't a great deal; that is different We are doing all we can to intensify our enforcement We are.eliminating as many nonessentials front's onr daily performance as possible. '-.J so forth. We must do-rand many other One other thing we do, of,course, is to agencies concerned with: driver behavior work as closely as possible with)the com can do--fnore tp cbmbat some human factors mand of die various forts. Boys in die. that, I think, are beginning to show up. camps have been quite a problem to us on I think Hat a condition of war hysteria exists in this country.: I think that in this period when there is so much of a premium - placednpon destruction, hems of safety and conservation do not seem very important There are other factors involving die hu occasion. For example, we received a com munication .from a lofcal^Safety Council di rector not long ago in which he reported very imsafe driving practices on cars bearing . die plates of one of onr Michigan forts. He Sbggested dial action should be taken. man bong that we may also be able to reads, So we sent his letter to the Sixth Corps such as this: there are quite a few sections Area command. The command saw that per where defense industrial operations are go? tinent parts of die report were placed in a mg on and men are driving to work. We bulletin and sent to all die forts in die area, now bave the problem of fatigue induced on. togetfaer with some relevant comment, I.be their normal day's work and that of an ex lieve. The Provost Marshal from one Add cessive mileage, driven tinder ^fatigue con came op to see'ns, and we agreed on how dit%ions. rbest to handl the problem so far-as his men Another human factor, that may be an at were concerned. . titude.is perhaps an. attitude of "whoopee" There is one thing that we have got to do, on -die part of individuals who for years it seems to me; and that.is: we have got to haven't owned a car and who suddenly find intensify our public safety education; we that they can afford to. buy an automobile of have got to do something to.-increase the some .sort; and .tbeir responsibility may be self-sufficiency of our people.' f.We/can't let open to question. dim rely so much upon polke^services. SGT. BLANKENSTEYN: In our state . it has released more, becanse we have created a special investigation squadand have ob tained money with which to increase our de partment JUDGE GUTKNECHT: Is that tree of highway and cities both or are your figuring that for.highways essenthdly?:. ` SGT. BLANKENSTEYN: That is our own state police. On the other hand, we havc 98 30th National Safety Congress many engagements, with the military, partic ularly in connertkm with the movement of motor columns. Now they exact quite a hit from us. CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: I think - Michigan was a little more forehanded on that than 'many other states, because I recall overhearing a discussion over there a year or more ago in which it was brought out that die police bad to have more men to take care of this emergency which was obviously then developing. order to make license control more effective? It seemed so very much to me as an outrider at that meeting, that ,the administrators are .taking their job modi more seriously, many of them, than ever before, JUDGE GUTKNECHT: They tdl me, Mr. Harris, that diem axe only. 10 jurisdic tions in Illinois where die judges or clerks are noticing licenses consistently, which die law requires when then! Is ik convictions .Would you say that that m characteristic f-~'| otherstates? ^ Mr. Harris, you represent the Motor Ve MR. HARRIS: That is characteristic of hicle Administrators and you are also Secre some states, but in others we are getting a tary of the Highway Traffic Advisory. Com great deal better cooperation dan that mittee of the War Department on this sub CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: I wonder if ject What do you see in tint picture for ' all these people know dot in Illinois only a .the motor vehicle administrator to do that local judge can take away a driver's license; he ought to do differently from what he did that the Illinois fioense law is .very weak in before? that respect compared to roostof them? You Stepping Up License Laws are pointing oat the fact dot the judges don't even-make use of the authority which L. S. HARRIS: Well, I don't know so they have. much about differently, but I would say that there is a stepping up of the administration of drivers' license law, bringing them up on a more efficient basis and really more strictly administering them than is usual in the aver age state.. JUDGE GUTKNECHT: That is correct The drivers' license law depeodauponlOO per cent enforcement pertiatiariy in. this meriting of violations on die bade of the card, because that is the only way you can lave a record of a man's past Then, too, theycould also institute a system of re-cxaminatiotFof those people who show accident proneness orwho show a disregard for die laws. In a good many places where that is beng done now, particularly in Mary land, they are meeting with grot success. They are finding that, by bringing in and re-examining those people who often become " MR. HARRIS: We find, too, that those people who have a few violations or who have beat in m few minor accidents,, if they are allowed to go on for a while, soon be come involved in a more serious accident That is why wet believe that they sbodld be brought in and re-examined. involved in minor accidents, they are able to CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Judge, love correct some of the difficulties, especially such a dung-as vision in the case of the elderly drivers. Of course, as Sergeant Blankensteyn had you any.other comments' to make? I don't know whether the judge's job hi this emer gency is any different from what it was before or not. ' iH, they can increase.; their educational ef- . JUDGE GUTKNECHT: There are two forts and, I think, cause the public to realize things I wotdd like to mention: First is-this . that each person in this country, each citizen, question of money. I bdieyein the opening is a very valuable asset. CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Wouldn't yon say, Pete, that your convention at NeW Orleans showed a very serious appreciation of all this on die part of die administrators? MR. HARRIS: Yes, absolutely. speeds of the convention tbere was brought out the point that there was the .danger' of tiie emergency ham-stringing money spent for safety. In aU our citfcvdm judged are sitting in the position where, they have got to be responsible fothe local.cotmdl, and mayors and other legislative and'admutiaitra- CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Don't you -tive officials should not be allowed to ham think that they are tryng, BKJuf them, to string die courts because of temporary do these things that you haV^-mertjoned in financial emergencies. Il 1- 7 !- 9( -l*. Street and Highway Traffic Section 99 ak In You udges which those r who I they on beckknt old be Jibawe t don't It was We have very difficult situation in Chi and they have divided. them.,op into three cago. Within the last seven'years die coarts classifications. The first was fait of spread have averted about $SOOyOOO.a year from ing bat.cohgestkn by makfog.greater oseof traffic' violation^ So for, bat- of all dns our existing highways andfacilities, making money, on}y-about $200 has been spent in the die unused streets and .:foacthe:^h^dmays last seven years; and that was spcpt to pro carry more of theirload., The. focobd.step.. tect the-csufcier so that no gangers.could was to eliminate the rush peak problem by come in and grab dm.money1 That is all a iroamg,oiit: the traffic peaks. The thud step hopelesspfcture. It irthefasilt of nobody in was thisafter you have'spread it out ac particular excepttbe fault of an unawakened cording to geographic distribution and time city in not realising that yon cannot be distribution, then what yob had to do was penny wise and poond'foolish. really control it; foldcontrol it through the .. There are a great maqy, people who don't realise that this is .a question of education in the courts modi'moire than of punishment; so for as minor violations are. concerned. With attfbffoesemilHons of . new drivers proper application of alTtfae.steps that we all khmr:.real signalling; real signs, real mark ing, correct parking control, and all dip test of those things ,that have-Men talked about for years.-. . - we are gettfogbecaiiseqf die increase ha em emergency has induced a real personnel prob ployment and the many new cars, that are lem becausethere has been.a terrific demand befog purchased, we must do our job in for engineers in die defense pfbgram. , ^edneatmutokeepthan awake. And that is wby, regardless of die American Bar Asso ciation, the radio is here to stay-in connection with tabor traffic violations. The dties that have donethe most on the least so often turn out to be thosfe dtiee diet did go to the radio for a tittle hdpu Education instead of pun ishment emphasised, for minor violations, is more fogortant than punishment MR.HARRIS: The Highway Traffic Advisory ^Committee of die War Depart ment, at a meeting of last week in Detroit, mapped oat a. program along some of die lines Mr. Barton just spoke about They were particularly interested in trying to as certain the most important or, you might say, the most worrisome or trotfatesome bot tlenecks throughout the country,' with - die Traffic Ifnglneir'e Viewpoint . idea in view of approaching the public CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: We haven't on this panel anyone cbercprcicritmg die engineers, Mh Barton, is, ofepurse, recog Roads Administfatki(i, tIie state highway departments, the aty governments, and so oo, in order to eliminate them. nised as ooe of tfae leading trafficeagineers . I also think that die Comndttee .is going of the^oontry. iSo, George, wiQ yoa put oa to stick its neck out and pirobably/hnng your fuse whiskers how and say a few words down upon itself die wrath of die local mer on behalf of the traffic engineer? :. ; chants when they ask the city authorities, in MR.BARTON: I think there are, from the. general engineering, point df view* three points tpbe brought oct Tbe first, one is that the traffic engineayto meetthe present .certain pbces; wherf.it is needed, to daiigp tbdr parking gtdations. In some instances, it'may be necessary to askdiem not to allow parking in certain.streets. . emergencjr, need not look' around for foncy - As you knbw, this committee also had a' new panaceas;but what he needs to do is to setup of a subcommittee beach state through make; greater: ax of foe fools dot he has which we work; and widi die help of these always med.; state committees and of foe traffic, engineers The Institute of Traffic.Eogmeen at.didr., meeting thfo weekdrewupaprogrpm in die: and so forth, we -hope, to beLable. to help out m thatsituation als**. form of a resolution. that d^recommehd CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: - 'Yonr. re for wide-foteptiofovTbtf progr^ out, mark' .abbot- parking restrictions hits *a that for the meetfog of inunediate needs, we thought that I believe has been rtnming all can'tdepend tooitrongly ou new construc through this; namely we-might as. wdl face tion foe .jfact that weall have to make some They indicate, indeed, that we Amid do sacrifices. . die things that we all know but do not apply. MR. HARRIS: We certainly do. 100 30th National Safety Congress JUDGE GUTKNECHT: Aren't we up flow, tiie inhabitants are ready to accept al against in this safety movement the same most anything. But conditions have, to be old psychological problem that we have in so come very bad-before they will accept them. many -tilings; namely, that psychologically it is impossible for a democracy to prepare for war in time of peace? We are asking an awful lot of the American people to realize tins emergency and to realise the necessity of giving up certain rights in con nection with traffic--rights which, if a dec laration of war bad occurred would be given up overnight. CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Well, I Cer tainly think that yon have put yonr finger on a very serious problem. I don't have the answer. But it suggests one point CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Van, have you anyopimon? SGT. VAN BLANKENSTEYN: Well, speaking without imy particular reference to the defense aspects of our present it seems to be a growing opinion higher speeds will have.4o be curtailed'tD some extent Defense, . of; course, is one of those things which is a ^consideration now. But even in our state where we have just the limit on the open highway there is a very definite feeling that we must lessen the range, of speeds. Yon have all heard about the imposition of the low speed limit in Massachusetts. I talked with Registrar Frank Goodwin about that and l have heard reports from various other sources. There is undoubtedly bring enforced in Massachusetts today a lower speed front titan previously costed; and MIL. BARTON: Haven't you in several locations in Michigan establishedjnew speed , zones on sections of highwayapmwie the - defense, industries or the worfaacMTfc those industries have created a confefatum prob lem? that was hung partly on the saving ofgaso-. line. It was also used as a means of partly meeting the accident increase. In September, after that speed reduction had been imposed and enforced by the very efficient enforce ment machinery of die state, they had for the first time a decrease in fatal accidents. SGT. BLANKENSTEYN: Yes, we have had to- do that Some , nones have been placed so that we wouldn't have some driv ers going along at 65,70 or 75 miles an hour while other traffic was moving along at a. more moderate speed of 15 or .20 miles an hour. Now, I am asking the panel here without previous warning: 'Do. you think that .we. - have got to decrease speeds in this country in order to meet this situation? George, what do you think? That is certainly put ting you on the spot as.a motor club man.' CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Does any one in the audience wish to ask any ques tions or offer wag comments? CAPT. ALBERT MUNN (San Fran cisco, Cal.): It is' ipy opinion that the pres ent problem in congested areas requiresa Shall We Decrease Speeds? separation between express traffic and focal traffic It also seems to me that the express MR. BARTON: I think that there are traffic should be safegnarded by engineering, very possibly sections of highways or certain stop and go signals, and so forth; while the streets in the different cities where special local traffic, wfakh^rohld naturally go along speed regulations may be involved. There at a tower speed, wouidhot require so. much may be a defense plant located 10 or 15 miles traffic,,CTgineering. I hare particularly in outside of a community where, at' the hours .' mind now the Pennsylvania Turnpike. They when they have shift changes; the volume of - have a speed limit/there of 70 miles an hour. traffic is such on that road that the unlimited . It seems to me tiat .redocmg the speed at speed limit perhaps cannot apply. There are this present age is a step badeward. many examples wherein,, as a result of un limited or high traffic speeds, a large volume of accidents have resulted, so that no doubt a ceding speed limit may be a partial answer. .CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Well, how would you do that'at tins time; even if we had all the money that was necessary? It took several years to build the Pennsylvania As to tiiis other point: which has been Turnpike. Do you have'in. mind that, we brougbt up with regard to the unwillingness could immediately do some such separating yet of the communities and of individuals to by establishing certain routes for through accept sacrifices in order to permit' traffic traffic? by Jli Innit Ml is. Lv.$i .-iu .'.-iz:-.i 11*14 S ill 1 Street and Highway Traffic Section 101 an yKt< ranressa beat rcss fag, the ions ach i in i*y onr. lit how e 1 It ania; .'we' ting. mgh . CAPT. MUNN: I bdieve that express traffic routes wffl.be. required, even. if .there were' no emergency,within a fcwyears. Traffic is increasing by leaps and bounds, and there is. no. fadfcation that it will not keep, on increasing. the Iawthat gave tbeCommlssioner authority to do if the way he did do it. JUDGE SMITH: In other words, the Commissioner is giVen .authorHy, daring the emergency to prescribe certain speed limits, is that night? CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: Yon mean by bmUins special express highways? - CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: It is fair to say . that the administering of foe drivers' CAPT. MtJNN: Yes, sir. license law fa Massachusetts by Mr. Frank Goodwin, is greatly aided by the public repu JUDGE GUTKNECHT: ButJfcat is not tation and .record of that man;,wbidi (enables an immediate answer to this emergency, be* . hfartodo a lot of things that very few other ause-it takes a,; couple of years to do it administrators in foe United States would be Whatwould you do in themeanthne? Would able to get away with. The people- grumble yon decrease your speed while yon are budd but tiny do it So fa one reuse, foe Massa ing your roads? \:.j ' chusetts' experience coold hardly be emulated CAPT. BdUNN: Well, you Would have to do the best you could by means of addi tional: signals and traffic signs and debuting of officers [tor manual, control at certain points. But the . slowing up of traffic Inst won't world The public not accept it Wehaveja condition,-tor instance, where a natiooal jMeme indnstrial plant and toe Bethlehem Steel Works areright dose to gether, and dong about 4:30 in the afternoon by very many other places. But rtfts-'a fact that foey did slap on a limit ranging from 40 tb 50 m3es an hour, whkhis fa actual enforcement; the speed limit depending on foe nature of the highway mid tire warnings and all that I mean, it was.reasonable;, no* arbitrary, bat it was a definite reduction of speed. They did get away witb it--the pub lic,did take it--ahd they did reduce accidents for the first time since their defense con gestion began. about 20,000[of those employees come out of those planteirnd walkjtp iheroadway. And there. isvon)y one\hxghway called Third Street, nortii and south, on which all that traffic goes. [More than 50 per cent of those men bare automobiles. JUDGE SMITH: Are these new speed limits, as established by the Comnussionef, ever arrived at under lawful authority given by. foe statute, or is it something that he has delegated to himself? MR HARRIS: As I understandit; it is JUDGE dlJTKNfeCHT: What speed do not a direct antharijy, so far as speed is con you try to enforce? cerned. The authority was granted tinder the CAPT; MUNN: We don't attempt to en Drivers' license Law and also fa connection force anything. We. snnply try to prevent with the conservation of gasoline. accidents as.best we can.. CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS^ You (seE*X JUDGE SMITHi: In Califoma, speed islimited to 2$ in business,and residential dis tricts, so that if anyone riccecds2S miles per hour in the district to which Capt Mann has refected, be will be died. - Mayl ask by what means they reduced the speed limit in the State of MassacAh. u^setts? ' under any good license law, including th California, the Commissioner ton. suspend foe license ofaman who is believed , to be operating unsafely. The state: of. public opimon determines bow. far, the Commission er can actually use that authority; - > SGT. LAWRENCE KELLY (Waukegan, 111.) ; I -have noticed that municipalities CTAIRMAN WIIXIAMS: Chiefly, as I understand, by a well pthlished and;serious threattosuspend licenses of drivers brought in for driving in.ereess of the stated limit. JUDGE SMITH: I assume that die speed limits are set by state.law; MR. HARRIS: They found a section in underTOQjOOO aren't very wdl representedat this Congress. -We have- only 25 policemen. . Of that number, only* sevim-toe concerned with traffic;. We have foe Great Lakes Naval Training Station directly soath of as. We also have Fort Sheridan nearby. As i ebn- seqnence, the defense program has gotten to the point where there are a great many new .W ^a*Lfyg,.r. .hLlswSfc:*. / X'.y-lZi/M'?..- L 3:#f ^ .. : :- 102 30th National Safety Congress people being brought into the community. In members of draft boards toy: "Wilde Jones order to stress tins matter of acddent .pre has- just beat inducted," or "Willie Jones vention, you can realize that with such a leaves- tomorrow for the army. He has a small traffic force -we really need more men ticket for speeding. Will you kindly excuse to combat tins issue. What is your reaction hhn?" to that. Sergeant? ' . JUDGE 'SMITH: Well, wegetthose re SGT. VAN BLANKENSTEYN: The quests, too, but we ignore them. only Bung we can do (I believe 1 partially indicated it) to take stock of what we are doing and what we are doing it with, and then find out whether we are getting dollar for dollar return for what we are now put ting out JUDGE GUTKNECHT: I have won dered from the reactions thto. I .have been getting whether T am so unpatriotic that I don't consider that any loud of an excuse. Surely E he is not a good driver in Chicago, the army doesn't wantJum running loose on I found that within my own office I have - any of their trucks, for instance. been able to save hundreds of dollars simply by analyzing very critically routine practices. . Through these savings I have been able to divert the effort and money drat were saved into more productive channels. JUDGE SMITH: No, we bring Willie in. ' . JUDGE GUTKNECHT: Welt the army has' him by the time I have to look for him, and soT have a hard time getting hold of Naval or Army Assistance Willie. MR. HARRIS: The army regulation JUDGE SMCTHf: I would like to ask now is that before a soldier is assigned to a Judge Gutknecht or any of the others on the . job of driving amBitary motor vehicle; .he panel whether'foe-aid of the naval and mil first has to be licensed by the army. They itary authorities has been enlisted in handling issue ' their own drivers', licenses. Before military violators? that license is issued, however, the! soldier's MR. HARRIS t- I understand that in a great many areas around die camps and stations die civilian authorities are receiving dose cooperation in dud respect from the military authorities. immediate commanding officer is required to ascertain from'the .motor' vdnde department of the soldier's home state the facts concerning his cmliah driving record. If be has abad record. JUDGE GUTKNECHT: Are they get ting any , military traffic police? I believe that is part: of the gentleman's question. ' MR. HARRIS: Yes, in a good many places. JUDGE SMITH: My experience in San Francisco has been, that where-we have a. soldier or a sailor who is brought in on a serious charge; we cannot very well snpeivise him. He has to go bade to the station.' So we then call in die commanding officer'or somebody whom he designates, and we turn die particular violator over to,an officer of the camp, and -he takes care of him- In other words, we bring him in and ask him what he thinks under die circumstances should be done by way of punishment - JUDGE GUTKNECHT: Do you get this kind of assistance? I find that I am getting about five letters a week in which the induction officials, army officers or even MR. MICHAEL (Decatur, RL): Judge Gutknecht brought out the point a little while ago of sacrifices being made by tbe'different communities. Well, consider a community that has no war activity around it, such as ours, and you can understand that we can't very well become excited about this emer gency that everybody is talking about. MR. HARRIS: I think you misunder stood what I said about the elimination of parking in certain areas. The purpose of doing,that is not' merely to assist in the mov ing of nffittery convoys, although 'that would enter into the situation occasionally. It is to eliminate bottlenecks so that the traffic flow can move through there all the time and .not only fa die case of a military convoy^iespectaliy in those areas which have plants engaged in defense industries, even when it comes to moving parts from one factory to die assembly plant or. tilings of that kind. mes Hies is a cose s re- vonbeen at I asse. ago. eon mile irmy turn, a of abon to a e;.he They cfore m tnftu partfacts Ifbe Fudge while ferent unity ch as can't emer- mder* ion of ise of !,mov'that mally. it the ill the ilitary which istries, im one ags ol Street mid Highway Traffic Sedion 103 ' Summing Up the Ideas CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS: I think oar things to eliminate bottlenecks.as has lost been repeated here, even inducting more fisssassiss 3 of warpsychology or hysteria. We have a ` great-many dew drivers on the road, drivers of newvehkles, and so forth. namely, with or iriftott a declarationof war, winch isnotquite in onr hauxis here; that wemustdevdop a different kind of war The remedies that have .been, proposed in- psychology, namely : a realization by the clnde telling drivers to.l^ away from con* ' traffic public that ~ this emergency situation gested siedsiipbliat cooperation with army does require some sacrifices of personal con authorities; greater ose of driver's license venience; as well as. a willingness (using a authority; th^n the importance of maintain phrase that we aretrying to popularize) to ing traffic budgets, .wfuch^of course; means start a lhtle socmer so dot you won't have, bidding np pritlic oiMnion so that traffic to hurry and- violate due. rules in -birder to budgets wifrte maintained. And along with get to your, destination through congested that the urgent, necessity of being sime that traffic We must havea willingness to make, we are maktpg mapthnmh use of the money as I say, sacrifices, because' we are trying we have. . A-lot of ns aren't as efficient as to. put more traffic onto a highway system we might be--all of ns, whether in public that cannot be. increased overnight. or private life. .Perhaps another wry f saying that is Another point brought out had to do with die fmjetion of die courts, which was .to educate people as well as to punish them. As to die engineer, he has some important jobs to do in/spreading out traffic, both in space and in time; and in controlling it through standard methods. this: tbatonr driving publiefaasgot to he a little more self-sufficient, as was brought cot in the discussion. We must each of ns indi vidually take a' little more responsibility hpon ourselves and hot depend too/ inodi upon the police and upon signs and upon signals and upon perfect highways. We mast get along mid manage somehow to drive Thep the important point was brought out safely and deCentfy by taking more personal that we have got to do some emergency responsildfiiy. ADJOURNMENT w L.;,-