War on San Diego’s ‘wild drivers’ waged 100 years ago
REPORT CARD SYSTEM WILL BE TRIED OUT
Thirty-two people died as a result of car accidents in San Diego in 1922. In response, a new city safety commission urged citizens to report to the authorities all traffic violations witnessed on city streets.
From The San Diego Union, Saturday, Feb. 10, 1923:
SAFETY COMMISSION ADOPTS PLAN TO WHICH CHIEF OF POLICE AND SHERIFF PLEDGE ENERGETIC CO-OPERATION.
A SAN DIEGO safety commission with “teeth in it!” An organization of this kind was advocated by members of the present safety commission at a meeting held yesterday noon in the Hotel Churchill, and at the same time a “card system,” whereby traffic violations will be reported by citizens of San Diego, also was adopted unanimously.
DRASTIC ACTION URGED
The meeting was attended by Dr. William W. Crawford, Rev. Roy Campbell, Chief of Police James Patrick, Sheriff James Byers and “John J. Observer.”
Dr. Crawford, who presided, strongly emphasized that traffic violations had reached an acute stage and that nothing short of the most drastic measures would serve to remedy the wave of careless, indifferent driving that is sweeping San Diego.
“Our present commission,” he said, is shooting in the air,’ principally because it has not been officially empowered to take any direct action in enforcing the traffic laws. What we need at this time, more than anything else, is an organization created by the city authorities and provided with authority to arrest, and hale into court, those motorists who persist in driving their machines in a reckless manner.”
CARD SYSTEM ADOPTED
Sheriff Byers was strongly in favor of the “card system,” that had been discussed by the commission at a previous meeting, and has been tried out in Detroit, Mich., with great success. This plan was adopted by the commission and later in the afternoon Dr. Crawford and Rev. Campbell interviewed Mayor John L. Bacon’s secretary concerning the possibility of a city appropriation of money sufficient to finance the print of 100 cards which will be distributed to downtown drug stores, banks and luncheon clubs.
The cards will carry a date line and space in which any violation observed can be written in. Card supplies will be available to all citizens who desire to assist in the campaign for safe and sane driving in San Diego. They will be addressed to the chief of police. Space will be provided at the bottom of the card for the signature of the citizen who reports the traffic violation.
PROMISES CO-OPERATION
When a driver has been reported several times for careless driving he will be summoned to police headquarters where he will be interviewed by Chief Patrick. If the case warrants it court action will follow.
Chief Patrick said yesterday he would bend every effort to aid in this campaign against reckless driving and offered to do his utmost in handling the extra work entailed in receiving the “violation report cards,” which are expected to flow into his office in great numbers.
Rev. Campbell urged that wide publicity be given the safety campaign and that each citizen take it upon himself to assist in eliminating the reckless driver by reporting any infractions of traffic laws that come under observation.