The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-21
City Commission Passes sOrdi-
nance Against Reckless Driving
Every Driver of Motor Car Must
Have License.
PROVIDES FOR JAIL SENTENCE
Age Limit for Drivers Is Placed
at is Years.
Does Not Apply to NOn-Resi-
dents of City of Topeka.

Topeka's city commission this
morning put teeth in the existing traf-
fic ordinances governing the opera
ton of motor vehicles in the city, as
well as applying a new stranglehold
to the reckless and incompetent driv-
ers.
The ordinance against speeding and
reckless driving has hitherto provided
only for the assessment of a fine of
from SIS to $500 against the offender
found guilty.
Provides for Jail Sentence.
City ordinance No. 1864, approved
September 8, 1916. was this morning
amended to provide for a Jail SEN
tence of from thirty to sixty days, as
well as the fine The amendment of
the ordinance is part of the program
of holding down motor accidents and
making driving oA the streets of To-
peka safer, which has been adopted
by the mayor and commission.
The ordinance which creates a Ii
censing board to license every driver
of a motor car in the city was passed
on second reading this morning
The ordinance will not be published
and become effective until there has
been appointed the licensing board,
however, and Mayor Corwine, in
whose power the appointments rest.
stated this morning that he had not
yet determined the personnel of the
list of appointments which he is to
present to the city commission for its
approval.
a To Appoint Board Soon.
1T will only be a few days until the
board is appointed and the ordinance
| is made effective" Mayor CorWine
said this morning.
Conferences on the ordinance, and
consideration given to it's functioning
| has resulted in several important
changes since it was first proposed
The board to be appointed under the
| new ordinance will not be an exam
| lining board. There will be no exam
| ination Of the candidates for licenses
who appear before the board
There is nothing left to the discre-
ton of the members of the board as
regards issuing the licenses. Creden-
| tials must be conferred upon all com
ers who are past the age of 16 years.
Age Limit Placed at 10.
The age limit was submitted as IS
years in the original ordinance, but
was changed this morning to 16 Yea rs
with little discussion. Mayor Cor
wine made it evident that he was not
insistent upon this point
Ine hold which the licensing board
mas upon the reckless driver is in its
power to revoke or suspend his IL
cense The revocation or suspension
OF the license may come immediately
after the holder has been convicted.
IN any court of competent juris lictfon'
OF reckless driving or of violating any
OF the traffic regulations Of the CITY
Appeal from the >-ction of the board
IN revokng or suspending a license
may De mad directly to the CITY com
mission.
Doesn't Apply to Nonresidents.
The ordinance does not apply to
nohresldents of the city of TopeISa.
VINO 90 not remain continuously in the
city for more than two weeks. This
clause dlsposeS of the objection made
| by the board of directors of the To-
| peka Merchants association that their
| FARMER customers might be "pinched'
Tor driving into the city without a
! license to do their trading The farm
ers are safe from prosecution under
the ordnance as now drawn. So are
| tourists, passing thru Topeka
The appointment of the members of
the board will hold good for two years.
after it has been made by the mayor
! with the consent of the commission.
No fee is to be charged for the is
suing of the licenses and it is ex-
pected that the members of the board
/ VIII work without remuneration, dis
posing of criticism that the ordinance
nue. for the city,
! The penalty for driving a car after
! ones License has been suspended or
revoked includes both a fine and a
! jail sentence. The fine may be from
! IS to $500. in the discretion of the
police judge. and the Jail sentence will
run from thirty to ninety days.
!