Evening star., 1927-11-20

y
4 n and Highway Safety, is but
slightly more than year old, a suit
fcient number of States have made
notifications in their highway laws
so that. at present. more than H.
OQ0000 persons. or approximately
one-fourth of the population OF the
United States. are operating cars un-
der regulations embodied in this law.
In view of the slow pace with which
legislation moves, and the TACT that
the necessary legislation had to be
effected in many separate State Leg
islatures, these results are considered
remarkable.
Although it was known that uni
fornnity in the laws governing motor
vehicles was needed and desired by
all motorists and others throughout
the United States, yet even the most
hopeful hackers of the movement
would not have believed a year ago
that one-hfth of the population
would be operating cars under the
suggested code in such short time.
The speed with which this legisla-
tion has been adopted, suggest those
who are behind the movement for
similar motor vehicle laws, not only
is splendid proof of the trend of pub
lie opinion in the direction of uni
formity, but also is an almost GER
tain sign of the eventual adoption
throughout the country of uniform
laws governing all phases of automo-
bile traffic.
The Uniform Vehicle Code was ap-
proved by the National Conference
on Street and Highway Safety fol-
lowing more than two years work.
AS finally approved, it consists OF
four acts-a uniform motor vehicle |
registration law, a uniform motor |
vehicle anti-theft law, uniform mo-
tor vehicle operators and chauffeurs'
license law and uniform act regu-
iating the operation of vehicles on
highways.
Two conferences were called by
Secretary of Commerce Herbert
Hoover. who acted as chairman of
these gatherings The first was held
in December. 1924, and the second
in March, 1926, at which time the
code was approved. The conferences
were composed of men vitality inter-
ested in traffic problems, all of them
carefully chosen with the view to
having the final draft of the uniform
code representative of the desires |
and wishes of the public as a whole.
Universal satisfaction has greeted |
Secretary Hoover's moves, and so |
favorable has been the reaction to |
uniformity that during the last year |
ii States have passed new highway |
codes, altered old ones or added to |
those already in existence, thereby |
bringing the laws governing the reg |
ulation of motor vehicles of these |
States in harmony with the Uniform |
Vehicle Code of the national con-
ference. as we'll as in harmony with |
each other.
Some of these States, such as
Pennsylvania, have scrapped certain |
existing codes, substituting COM |
plete set of legislation based on the |
measures recommended by the ma
ttional conference. Others, such as
California, have changed their exist
ing laws or added to them to bring |
about a marked similarity between |
their laws and those recommended |
: by the conference, while still other
Commonwealths, such as New |
Hampshire. merely have passed sup
Elementary legislation to that al
ready in existence. But in all cases /,
the legislation was based on the Uni |
form Vehicle Code and was adopted |
because of the realization that uni
1ormity throughout the country will |
hn Nf +te II
in the history of automotive trans
portation.
Pennsylvania, perhaps, is the out
standing example as regards the aims
! of the conference This State. al
ways in the van in motor vehicle |
legislation. cast aside much of its
existing law. and put into effect the |
recommendation of the conference.
! The new code. as passed by the |
Legislature. embosies virtually the
entire Hoover code, with certain
notifications found necessary be
cause OF local State conditions.
T Three OF The four acts were adopt
ed by North Carolina, North Dakota
and Idaho. The laws of these States
row include the registration of mo-
/ tor vehicles act, the anti-theft law
: ari the act governing operation of
J vehicles on the highways
This last mentioned act is consid-
cred the most important of the set
when viewed from the standpoint of
! the average automobile operator.
/ With this act in force throughout
! the country. the car owner from one
! State will be able to venture with
! out the least uneasiness into any
other State, and if he is sufficiently
j conversant with the law of his home
State, he will be in no danger of un-
knowingly violating the law of the
State through which he is travelling
Two other States-Arizona and
! Arkansas-also have adopted legisla-
ton embodying many phases of the
Hoover code The law in Arizona,
which was passed at a special ses-
, sion Of the Legislature, Includes viz
tually all of the code. while Arkansas
! contented itself with passage of a
law governing the operation of We
! hlcles upon the highways. This law
is identical TO the one recommended
by the conference. In the latter
State the highway commission also
has promulgated Certain rules in har-
mony with the code.
The act governing the operation
OF vehicles was passed also by Michi-
gan and Minnesota. and an act based
upon the same principles, with sew
'eral notifications and changes, was
adopted by the State of Washington.