The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-25
UNIF0RMIT I'm
TRAFFIC LAWS
GAINS Roadway
Motor Club Manager Tells
of Work Done by
States.

the diversity of traffic regulations,
Is yielding to treatment and there
are definite indications that move
ment townr dtraffic uniformity on a
national scale has set In, according
to Todd Stops, secretary-manager of
the Hoosier Motor Club.
This announcement came as a re-
eult Of survey made by Thomas p.
Henry. president of the American
Automobile Association, who has
completed a study Of what the or
ganized motorists are doing to en-
volve their own national traffic code.
1.-THE agreement reached at Grand
Rapids for an ordinance for Michi-
gan," said Stops, may be regarded
as the launching of the uniformity
movement in earnest. What Michi-
gan has done eventually will be done
by every state, and the consumma-
ton Of the process will mean the
end of the quack remedies that we
have been applying to our traffic
problems"
The uniformity movement, Stops
said, has been to large extent
fostered and promoted by the motor
clubs affiliated with the A. A. A.
Michigan's ordinance, on which
legislative action will be postponed
until after the next meeting Of the
Hoover conference, was initiated by
the Detroit Automobile Club, which
secured the uniform cooperation of
state and city officials to bring it to
a successful conclusion.
Other States
ut is not only in Michigan" de-
clared Stops, that the organized
motorists are making Roadway to-
ward the uniform traffic code SO
badly needed by the country. In
the State of Washington the Auto
mobile Club OF Washington played
a leading role in getting the various
official, trade and civic bodies to
agree on a uniform State motor We
hicle law which stands a splendid
chance Of being adopted by the
Legislature when it meets in few
weeks.
1.-The Cleveland Automobile Club
performed similar service in solv-
ing the traffic problem of that city,
while many other A. A. A. clubs
throughout the country are engaged
in similar work, thus eliminating
local differences and paving the way
for national uniformity.
''It is to be expected that the
Hoover Conference will find the
work that has been done by the
clubs splendid basis on which to
work.
What this means is that the or
ganized motorist himself is evolving
his own traffic code, that he will
popu1arize it and give it a measure
of support that would be impossible
II 1t were forced upon him.
The way to get Nationwide uni
formity in motor laws and regula-
tons is to start with State wide uni
form laws first. If this policy is
followed, it should be not long be-
fore motorists can feel at home, and
safe, In any traffic they happen to
find themselves. When all the
States adopt their own traffic codes
it will be found that they are virtual
1y uniform.
National Viewpoint
"The A. A. A. clubs have the ma
tional viewpoint on traffic control be-
cause they represent the national
car owner and must consider his
safety and welfare. Sectionalism
rapidly is vanishing as a conse-
quence. What the Michigan A. A.
clubs have done can be done in Cali
fornia., in Florida or in Indiana
This new plan of safety through
abolition of confusion is merely the
process of building by starting with
the foundations. Heretofore there
has been too much effort directed
toward the impossible. Nationwide
abolition of confusing motor laws is
not possible until an automobilist
can drive through his own State
without finding it necessary to con-
duct himself differently in each city
and town.
Uniform codes in any State will
serve to convert the people of that
State to the great need for standard
izatfon. 1t should be only a short
step between that and Nationwide
uniformity. State codes will be COM
promises, and our experience has
been that such compromises are uni
versal. The people of Maine will
find that they prefer, on the aver
age, the same regulations as the peo-