Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-29
Uniting on the Traffic Problem
Laying the Foundation.
By ERNEST GREENE GOD,
Secretary National Conference and Highreay Safe

story OF the drive on the menace Of
the highways and that National Con
ference on Street and Highway Safet-
should be an annual affair and carry
on until the very best practices are
developed and put into permanent
effect in every city, town. hamlet
and on every rural road in the United
States. To this end a permanent
executive committee, with Herbert
Hoover as chairman, was pro
vided which, assisted by a staff with
headquarters in the Department Of
Commerce, will continue the work Of
studying the various phases of the
problem, beginning now the prepare
ton for the conference next Deceu-
Der.
Program for Action.
The action recommended by the
eight committees in program TIL
volving over 100 conclusions can -
grouped roughly under six heads
They are:
1. Uniform reporting, assembling
and publication of statistical and
other information regarding the ex-
tent and character Of street and
highway accidents.
.. Definite fixing of responsibility
for needed action by various elements
of Government and other social units.
5. Legislation, regulation and meas
ures for the enforcement thereof
4. Nationwide uniformity of prac-
tices.
S. Technical research and develop
ment of improved methods.
6. More adequate provisions OF
funds for facilities, enforcement, etc.
Z. Education and other Influences
TO secure voluntary cooperation Of ali
concerned in the traffic problem.
Still further reducing these group
ings to the ultimate fundamental we
find at the very foundation of the
whole platform: Uniformity, educa-
ton and enforcem I. Uniform laws.
uniform practice .ducation Of ali
the people, drast enalties for the
breach and adequ Increment ma
chinery.
The conference evidently appreciated
that no group of men, even though il
may number into the hundreds and be
drawn from every section OF the United
States, can sit down and draw up a set
of hard, fast and detailed rules and
regulations applicable everywhere with
out regard to local conditions.
AS matter of fact, a reduction Of
the accident rate depends entirely upon
the local community, and without proper
education and organization of all of the
people of that community any program,
no matter how carefully and expertly it
may be designed, is bound to fail The
committee on public relations, however,
stated emphatically that the brunt Of
the responsibility for street and high
way safety rests, and must continue to
rest, upon the public officials-Federal,
State and local. Each group" said the
committee report, lis charged with its
own particular responsibility"
The Nation has been provided with the
groundwork of a definite street and
highway policy. The foundation for
platform of safety, accident prevention
and uniform practice has been laid. The
big work, however. lies in the future,
and this is the work Of proving, first,
that this program will reduce the acci-
dent rate and, second Of educating the
public to a point whore it is understood
that Its adoption means the saving of
just so many lives, just so much suffer
ing And Just so many dollars.
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