| Show drivers disregard for traffic signals increases annual death toll by J ANTHONY carrothers eby traffic engineer national conservation bureau only a fleeing criminal is likely to to be bar reckless enough to disregard pl a highway patrol mans howling or a traffic emans whis fifth this is the sixth of a series series of 10 articles on street and highway safety written by nationally tio nally recognized accident prevention specialists and published by this newspaper in in the interests of greater traffic f c safety sponsored nored by the morgan lions club lie e yet an appallingly large nuin otherwise law abiding MT er of mol tourists habitually drive through red lights exceed posted speed lim t ts s and diso disobey be y oth other er traffic control jie vices ices w whenever they think they tan g get t away with ith it about 24 14 per cent of all fatal incidents icci teci dents happen at intersections knottier 12 per cent on curves more than half of the drivers killed in 11 rade hade crossing accidents last year lere ere disregarding warning signs nd ignacs agnall ig nals placed there to tet them the functions of traffic control levicey are identical with those of in bri officers to regulate yarn warn and guide traffic except that abat they cannot make arrests control devices can be very effective in reducing accidents provided they are properly placed properly designed and properly obeyed Fb eyed traffic control devices which teg regulate traffic are the strongest lids lids of authorities in their efforts 0 o reduce accidents and increase jie safety and convenience of daiv rs and pedestrians alike the stop ign the traffic light the parking ign the no turn sign and the peed limit sign are all regulatory devices violators of the directions iven by these devices are punish arble raible by fine in traffic court they a pay also be punished far more terribly by injury or death devices that warn motorists gt ie esig signed ned to call attention to a bial bial hazard or condition where ex ra caution ton and alertness is feces ary y devices that have this warn ng function include the flashing lellow jellow traffic light the curve sign ine crossroads sign the painted enter tenter line of no passing zones and ita ia messages in advance of eints points of hazard devices that guide motorists in mude bide destination signs for mo cristn traveling between cities in ign ats i giving specific directions for cehi chicles cles in complex intersections and lane and turn control pavement harkings par kings it is important imports at that traffic conkol devices conform to nationally recognized cognized standards so that they n be understood at a glance by motorists and pedestrians consid lis lable able pi progress ogress has been made in his during the past 10 years the he commended shape color and size 4 pr the various types of signs are aie regulatory signs white vert icle rectangle Jec ec tangle with black lettering warning signs diamond shaped fellow ow with lack black lettering 51 SC singled out for special treatment are stop signs and r rail il load ad advance warning signs both re e yellow with black lettering but e stop sign is six sided and the inroad warning sign is round i guide and information signs briz rectangles tangles with black uttering obviously it is important to have ough hough signs signals and markers ni cally placed at the needed tots every citizen can help by eing that the traffic autho authorities cities me jfe given adequate budgets to in in all and maintain proper systems y traffic control devices our lour street systems of the future I 1 cill 11 all have separate intersections boothly curved highways and de is sed parkways park ways which will make many of our present day traffic tnt rols unnecessary some of us baay live to see that day certain ly more of us will if in the meantime as motorists and pedestrians we treat each sign and signal with as much respect a as s though it were the law itself bee because ause it is |
