Evening star., 1924-09-13
ARTICLE VII.

The licensing Of drivers is one of
the subjects in connection with traffic
control and accident prevention which
Is to say the last controversial. 1t
would seem that there ought to be
unanimity Of opinion concerning the
desirability of requiring every driver
to have a license, but there Is not.
The automobile has been classed as
q dangerous weapon. In the hands
of the reckless, the inexperienced, the
incompetent or the criminally in
clined it Is capable of untold damage,
yet there Is strong opposition in
many States to any legislation re-
quiring drivers to be licensed, and
the states which do have require
ments are decidedly in the minority.
The locomotive engineer is in
charge of a vehicle which is con-
fined to two steel rails and travels
over a right of way every inch of
which is under supervision and auto
matte control. The human equation
plays very much smaller part in
the operation of a locomotive than
in the operation Of a motor car. Yet
the engineer must go through a long
course of instruction, have years of
experience as a fireman and engine
man, must pass the most rigid mental
and physical tests and must be known
to have exemplary habits before he
is given charge of even a freight
locomotive.
But in. a majority Of States any one
can drive a car. The car itself may
have to be registered, but any one
can drive it. If the car is registered
the scheme of reciprocity among
States makes it possible for any one
to drive it anywhere in the United
States. And even in those States
where licenses are required 1t is a
comparatively simple matter to get
them. In only a very, very few is
there anything like an adequate COM
potency test And even though a
driver may be refused a license in
one of these States, it is a simple
matter to cross a state line into a
neighboring state, get license and
reciprocity takes care of the rest; or
else drive without license.
The driver may be a criminal a
moron or mental or physical defec-
tive-it is all the same. He may be SO
nearsighted that he cannot see ex-
cept with thick lenses, one eyed. sub
1ect to epilptic fits, drunkard or
drug addict, bootlegger or a gun
man, or belong to any one of dozen
classes who should never be permitted
10 even enter motor car; the pen of
the license clerk scratches merrily
on.
1t does seem reasonable that driv-
er of a motor car should be required
iirst OF all to pass a physical exam
inatlon. As a matter of fact he should
De subjected to a physical exanina-
ton periodically. BY this / do not
mean that the State should have to
examine him periodically. But he
should be required to present a Ger
tfhcate from reputable physician
periodically Ones eyesight may be
OF the best today and seriously i'm
paired tomorrow. Some organic trou-
bic may develop which may cause the
individual to be subject to physical
attacks rendering him momentarily
helpless. Some accident or other in
cident may bring about nervous
condition rendering him incompetent
IN an emergency.
Second, ability to drive in all kinds
OF traffic apd under all sorts of con-
ditions should be the subject of rigid
tests 1t isn't sufficient TO be able
TO start a car, drive around the
olock, turn around and stop. Routes
for these tests should be changed
frequently. Artificial emergencies
should be created to test the drivers
alertness and capacity for quick
action. They do that sort of thing
in Maryland. and if Maryland can do
1t other States can
Third, the moral character and gen
eral reputation of the applicant in
his home community should be taken
into consideration. He should be re-
CURED to give written references that