Evening star., 1925-02-08
STANDARD IS URGED
FOR LICENSE TAGS.
Federal Investigation Holds
This Is Necessary to Pro-
.
mote Safety.

Standardization of all automobile
license plates as to size, color, nu-
merals, location, illumination, etc, is
being advocated by Ray NJ Hudson,
chief of the division of simplifed
practice of the Department of Com
merce. An exhaustive study of the
license plate and its importance as a
safety factor has been made by the
division, and copies of the report sent
to motor vehicle administrators police
chiefs. traffic and other authorities as
Well as to motor clubs, automotive
manufacturers and organizations in
tereSted in greater safety on streets
and highways.
w-breakers will be more easily
detected by the use of standard Ii
cense plates, it was explained, and
any factor that will contribute to the
detection of traffic violators will tend
to make streets safer for pedestrians
and other motorists.
1T is obvious" explained Mr.. Hud-
son, that as the Importance of the
license number is accentuated or en-
phasized, it will have definite effect
r on many would-be reckless drivers
When 1t becomes easier to get the
number and there is less possibility
of error, many a chancetaker will
drive more saneiy.
Added Cost Involved.
License plates, Mr. Hudson points
out, range in dimensions from to
20 inches long, and from to 6 inches
wide, with punchings varying for
the, slots provided. They offer no uni
formity in the size of the numbers, the
spacing of digits, nor the position
and location of state initials or of
the year of issue. These variations,
as well as those of color schemes and
material used, make an additional
cost to the States, which must buy
nearly 20,000.000 plates to care for
the registrations.
The State name, numerals and year
of issue, Mr.. Hudson suggests, could
we'll be developed into a series of
code assignments in which there
would be eliminated the cumbersome
numbers necessitated in some States.
1.-The increasing number of 'hit-and
run cases." Mf. Hudson explains,
make imperative easier and more
rapid identification of offending
motorists. Eye-witnesseS at best
are prone to err in their testimony.
With 40 different systems of mark
ing, what chance has the man in
the street to become so expert that
he can imm ediately identify the issu-
ing Slater
Standard Location Favored.
Mr. Hudson's recommendations pro-
vide for the rotation of color combi-
nations so that neighboring States
would not have license plates nearly
alike in color. By the use of letters
and numbers no car would bear
plate having more than FIVE symbols.
Standard location of front and rear
license plates is favored. Improved
visibility for traffic officers, better
protection for motorists and greater
attention by manufacturers to ade-
uHate illumination for "night-visibil-
ity," it is explained, would follow the
adoption of such a standard location.
Safety in this respect, it is indicated,
may yet call for front-plate illumina-
tion.
There is no question" states the
report in concluding, that the detec-
ton of traffic rule breakers becomes
easier as the need for such detection
decreases. Therefore, so far as the
Standardization of the license plate
and its correlated features con-
tributes to making identification
quicker and more accurate, 1t con-
tributes to safety. Since safety today
is the paramount issue in motor
traffic, plate Standardization should
be thoroughly considered with re-
gard to it's value in that direction.