Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
HOOVER RECEIVES
NEW TRAFFIC CODE
Secretary to Consider Model
Municipal Ordinance Framed
by Experts.

. The model municipal trafic ordinance
j revised to meet suggestions from traffic
experts over the Nation. was submitted
! yesterday to Secretary Herbert Hoover.
chairman Of the National Conference
/ on Street and Highway Safety. which is
aiming to establish uniformity in traffic
/ regulations and control over the Nation
aid reduce accidents. Differences be-
+ tween the model ordinance which will
be submitted to municipalities OF the
country for adoption, and the unifrom
State motor vehicle code, which has
been adopted by 10 States, and is being
considered by some 20 more, will be laid
before the national conference of COM
niSsioners on uniform State laws at the
forthcoming convention in Seattle.
Representatives of 10 national organi-
cations that have been considering
changes in the model municipal ordi-
nance wrote into the final draft adop-
ton of the three-color system of traffic
control. embracing red. amber and green
lights; gave pedestrians the right-of-
way. and banned overtaking and pass
ing to the right by motorists. They also
fr0wned on passing to the left of street
cars, save on one-way streets and under
special conditions.
Right-of- Way Section.
The traffic experts wrote this section
concerning right-of-way nito the model
municipal traffic ordinance: THE oper-
ator of vehicle approaching an inter-
section shall yield the right-of-way to a
vehicle which has entered the intersec-
tion. When TWO vehicles enter an inter-
section at the same time, the operator
of the vehicle on the left shall yield the
right-of-way 70 the vehicle on the
right" This provision. 1t was explained,
brings into play the ''ieft-of-way" way
rule, because If a vehicle from the left
has entered an intersection first, the
vehicle approaching from the right. but
which has not yet entered the intersec-
ton, must yield to the former.
The experts had an extended discus
sion concerning the definition of right
of-way'' and 1lnally adopted the first
draft. which reads The privilege of
immediate use Of the street or high
way" After tie vote and more dis
cussion. the conference rejected this
definition 0! ''right-of-way': The right
OF an operator of a vehicle or pedes-
] TRAN to proceed In a lawful manner
without interruption in the direction
which such vehicle or pedestrian is
going considering the original phrase
ology SUFFICIENT.
While the conference favored pedes-
TRAN control in traffic in principle, ii
recognized the impracticability of en-
forcing this in certain localities where
there is congestion. The conference
voted against multiple traffic control in
principle
In addition 10 putting the model mu-
nicipal traffic ordinance into final
shape. the conference appended three
proposed ordinances for municipalities
10 adopt. These concerned creation of
an official traffic commission, of O di-
vision of traffic engineering and To con-
troll roadway and sidewalk distractions.
Differs Little From Code.
NJ O. Eidridge. assistant director of
traffic for the District of Columbia. said
the model municipal traffic ordinance,
rs put into permanent shape. differs
little from the trafic code in force in
Washington. In the main, he ex-
planned. the ordinance is In complete
! harmony with the District OF Columbia
regulations and will neceSSitate no
radical changes here.
The conference voted TO express its
appreciation to Secretary Hoover for
his work in conjunction with bring
ing the safety measures about and left
to steering committee the organiza-
lion of the work Of bringing the model
municipal traffic ordinance TO the at
tention Of the country's municipalities,
with view to their adopting IT, 50
that uniform system Of traffic regula-
ton and control can be brought about
in urban America. The uniform State
motor vehicle coce Is ,.eSigned 10 bring
about uniformity in the rural areas.