Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
NATIONAL MOTOR
CODE HELD NEEDED
Licenses, Driving, Lights and
Signs Included in Unified
Rule Plea.

Automobile traffic, already nationa
in its growing Importance, should b.
considered from a strictly nationa
viewpoint in regulation, legislation anC
highway construction, according to D
s. Eddins, vice president of Olds Motor
Works.
THE most widely recognized students
of present-day traffic problems agree
that there should be a unincation Of
all regulations and laws" he said
These include licenses, registrations
driving rules and regulations, highway
signs and traffic lights.
How this unification on a national
basis is to be brought about is another
question. In the Summer of 1926 the
National Conference on Street and
Highway Safety of which President
Hoover was chairman, presented a uni
form vehicle code, which represented
the best efforts of group of experts
This report was received with acclaim
but the multifarious governmental agen-
cies involved in establishing the uni
form code have failed as yet in most
instances to take action:
AT the present time, nearly four
years after the submission of this uni
has been appointed by the Secretary
of Commerce to investigate what has
been accomplished so far and to recon-
mend further action.
Code Adopted BY Two States.
1.-TWO States have adopted the code
by passing State law which made its
adoption mandatory on all municipal
tiles. Twenty other States have adopt
ed all or part of the uniform code as
State laws, and many municipalities
have used the model municipal traffic
ordinance as basis for their traffic
laws.
But the full bbenefit of national uni
fication will not be achieved until a
uniform code is national in extent.
Whether this will require Federal &C.
ton, as was the case with railroads, or
can be brought about by public opinion
led by automobile clubs and other or
CARNATIONS interested In safety and i'm
proved trafhc regulation is a question.
And it is a question which should be
solved at the earliest possible moment
Two conditions have contributed
materially to traffic confusion and &C.
cidents. One Is the diversity of laws,
rules and regulations which confuse
even careful drivers and make a legal
action in one city a law infraction in
another. With mass Of different and
often conflicting rules and laws, it is
impossible for a motorist to know or
learn of them.
THE other condition is the action by
many municipalities in adopting regu-
1ationS which are so rigid they are
practically unenforceable, and are usu-
ally not enforced except during spas
modic drives This situation causes
motorists to have disrepect for the law
and results in infractions of other reg
ulationS that create a tendency on the
part Of many toward careless driving.
Fundamental Cure Suggested.
"a fundamental cure for this condi-
ton is q traffic legal code drawn as
simply as possible so that all can I'M
derstand and follow it; it should be
equitable In its limitations, so that there
viii be no logical reason to break any
OF its provisions, and it should be en-
forced to the letter. Only by having
laws We can and do enforce with Just
penalties can be obtain a safe and
continuous traffic movement.
Another phase Of uniform traffic
laws has to do with the regulations
pertaining to the issuance Of drivers
licenses and car registrations. At the
present time some States have rigid
examinations which drivers must pass
yearly to obtain or retain a driving
license. Other States have practically
no restrictions as to who drives an
automobile"