The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-02-27

it will increase as our registration
mounts. All thoughtful students
Of this question are agreed that
what we need is not more laws and
restrictions but simplified and stan
dardized practise and universal
rules of the road. And all COM
petent engineers with whom l have
discussed this problem arc in accord
that if we can but evolve condi-
ton where simplified practise will
prevail and traffic adjustments be
approached as technical and cngin-
ecring problems rather than from
the viewpoint of police regulations,
we shall have gone long way to-
ward solving our safety problem.
Interfcres With Safety
Efforts to deal with the latter
are constantly retarded by the null
tiplicity Of laws, regulations and
ordinances to be met on all sides.
All states have their special laws
and regulations; all cities and
towns have their ordinances and
regulations and nowhere can the
average motorist travel, even with.
in the confines of one state, with
any degree of confidence that he
knows what he is expected to do,
whether it be matter of q left.
hand turn, the type of headlight he
is supposed to carry, or what is re-
quired of him at railroad crossing.
To realize how serious the need
for simplification and STANDARDIZED
ton Of practise is, it is only neces-
sary to review briefly some of those
matters on which it is reasonable
that there should be some SEM
blancc Of national accord. Take the
question of certificate of title.
Twenty-one states have provisions
for title registration; of these, eigh-
teen call for certificates of title be-
fore registration plates are issued
and three have bills of sale. The
movement for certificates of title
has been under way since 1919, but
progress has been slow. Apart
from other inconvenience which
the lack of uniformity in this re-
spect leads to, it is safe to say that
the different requirements regard
ing the titling Of car in the va
riOus states is one of the big rea-
sons why the authorities have been
so powerless to check the rising
tide of automobile thefts.
Take again the licensing and ex-
animation Of drivers. Sixteen states
and the District of Columbia re.
quire an examination. In five
states, examination is optional and
in thirty-three states there is no
provision for examination. This is
a matter over which there is great
controversy. Most of the states
requiring examination are in the
east. Many of the middle ives.
tern and southern states require
neither examination nor licenses to
drive.
The privilege granted non-rcsi-
dent operators of motor vehicles is
a most important consideration for
the reason that the army of people
who use their cars for touring pur-
poses is constantly increasing.
Motor vehicles statutes generally
grant limited privileges to nom
residents driving their own cars.
These privileges vary from fifteen
days to six months. Under pre-.
vailing conditions it often happens
that the tourist or business man,
travelling in states other than those
in which he has an operators per.
nit, is put to considerable incon-
venience, including possible arrest.
Automobile freedom of commerce
certainly demands that we should
have nationwide reciprocity. !,
Much thought has been given to
the matter Of brake requirements,
this being one Of the questions hav.
ing vital bearing on the safety
margin Of an automobile. At least
forty states now require adequate
brakes in good working order"
Some require two independent sets.
while a few states specify the dis
lance within which brakes shall be
capable of stopping a vehicle. It is
apparent that there is need for
determining what are adequate
brakes" and this requirement should
be uniform in all states. L.
Headlights Conflict
In talking Of conflict in require
ments, the question of lighting will
readily occur. There is a great deal
of diversity among the states as
regards lighting. The eastern
states and some Of the western
states require specific approval Of
devices, reflectors and lenses.
Many Of the southern and middle
western states make no such re-
quirements. The result is that q
tourist from one Of the more liber-
al states may find, upon coming in.
to the eastern Or western states.
that his head-lamp is absolutely
prohibited under the law.
Another matter of Importance is
the speed to be allowed in each
state. Here, again, there is con.
siderable diversity. Twenty-Five
states have maximum speed limits
Of less than thirty-five miles per
hour. Kansas has forty-mile
maximum and Florida and Nevada
have forty-five. / am inclined to
think that the solution Of this prob
lem lies in making recklessness,