Evening journal., 1914-02-26
UNIFORM LAW
FOR TREAUTOS
NOW DRAFTED
Commissioners From Eight
Eastern States viii Bring it
Before Their Legislatures

NEW YORK, Feb. 26.-After agreeing
upon draft Of revised motor vehicle
law to be submitted by the various
state commissions to the governors OF
the eight eastern states represented.
and through them to the several legis
latures, the Uniform Motor Vehicle Leg
lslation Commission adjourned on sat
urday evening at the hotel Vanderbilt
sine die. The feeling is general among
the commissioners that the draft which
they prepared will be accepted, substan-
TALLY, by their states, and ii this prove
correct there viii be uniformity OF
automobile statutes far exceeding any
thing heretofore known in this country.
The states represented are: New York,
New Jersey. Connecticut Massachu
setts, Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland
and Delaware
The draft of the commission covers all
the various phases OF the present auto
mobile laws and was prepared from a
comparative digest of the existing laws.
II is, however, comparatively brief, con-
tanning about 5000 words, as against
the Massachusetts, law of $4,000 words,
for instance. II would be impossible to
treat in detail here, but it brings about
uniformity ON at least five cardinal
points OF motor legislation. These are
speed, examination OF all operators,
power to refuse to grant a license, and,
for cause. TO revoke one already granted,
control of the nonresident motorist,
and imposition of penalties for viola
tion.
II provides that vehicles shall be
operated with due regard to public
safety and to the width of the high
way and the condition of traffic, and
that speed in excess of twenty-four
miles an hour shall be considered
prima facie evidence of reckless driv-
ing should an accident occur. II does
away with the distinction between
chauffeur" and operator" In so far
as license IS concerned, and provides
for an examination as TO competence
before license is granted to any driv-
er. Il gives the power to the secre-
! tary of State or the motor vehicle
commission. as the case may be, to
refuse license and 10 suspend or re-
woke It for intoxication or other cause
and thus opens the way also for the
control of the nonresident motorisi
through complaint to the proper au-
/ thorities In his home State. Though
not embodied in the draft, il was voted
the sense of the body that light'
should be carried on all vehicles
whatever their motive power.
New York was represented on tn
commission by Samuel ". Taylor
who was chairman of the commission
at large; Fay c. Parsons and A.
Deer. president of the State Auto
mobile Association; New Jersey BY
Job H. Lippincott. Motor Vehicle
Commissioner: Colonel Edwin A
Stevens. Highway Commissioner. ant
George L. Burton; Connecticut b.
Albert Phillips, Secretary of State
Alfred H. Terry and Charles J. Ben
nett. Highway Commissioner; Massa
chusetts, by Colonel William y
Schier. chairman Of the Hlghwa,
Commission; Pennsylvania, by E. N
BigelOw, Highway Commissioner. ant
Robert p. Hooper, president of tn
/ Pennsylvania Motor Federation
Maryland, by Dr. II. NJ. Rowe, presi
dent of the Automobile Club of Mary
land: II. NJ. Luzius its secretary, an
Harry A. Roe, Highway Commits
sioner; Delaware, by Sylvester /
Townsend, Jr.. and Charles c. Guyel
and Maine, by Scott Wilson, Attor
ney-General Lyman II. Nelson and
c. Scates. The various State Commls
, sions we're appointed by the Governo
under authority of Legislature.
It is expected that the draft of Oh
new uniform law will be in the hand
of the Legislatures of the variou
States when they next convene.