Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23

Some time In the future a motorist
will be able to start from the National
Capital, drive the length and breadth
of the land, and be enabled in each
hamlet, town or city he passes through,
to turn corner, manipulate a traffic
light, and know the speed limit, all in
one and the same way. It is toward
this end-co-ordination of motor laws
and all their ramifications--that doz-
ems of automotive institutions, headed
by the National Conference Of Street
and Highway Safety, organized by
President Hoover when he was Secre-
tary of Commerce, are working.
Since August /, 1928, a code has been
circulating throughout the country. It
is code drawn up after many months
Of investigation and trial by the Ma
tional Conference on Street and High
way Safety and Is called the Model
Municipal TRAFFIC Ordinance" 1t was
intended for use in municipalities, SO
that, when 1t was adopted throughout
the country, a motorist could do such
things as turn q corner in the same
manner in Philadelphia, Pa, as he did
in Los Angeles.
To date, however, only the following
cities have adopted the model code:
indianapolis, Ind; Grand Rapids,
Mich; Providence, r. l.; Roanoke, Va. !;
Fort Dodge, Iowa; Great Falls, Mont. :
Boston, Mass; Hinton, w. Va; Louis
vile, KY; Medford, Greg; Savannah,
Ga.
Program Is Outlined.
But this list does not include GER
tain cities which have, since the issu-
ing Of the code, adopted similar codes.
Chief among these latter cities is Chi
cago, where, it Is said. the new code
has been received gratefully and used
with high success.
A. B. Barber, manager Of the trans
portation and communication depart
ment Of the Chamber of Commerce Of
the United States, In speaking of the
work Of the National Conference on
street and Highway Safety before the
tional Association Of Commercial Sec
retaries, said:
Il am going to give you some figures
later on to illustrate, but first should
like to say just word as to the pro-
gram OF the National Conference on
Street and Highway Safety. This pro-
gram Is very comprehensive. It out
lines the Set-up Of proper State and
municipal administration for dealing
with the street and highway trafdc
problems, the licensing of drivers and
~ Jill ~ COHbEIIpldOSS uniformity IL
tratnc laws and regulations through
out the land It provides for the es-
adjustment Of uniform signs, signals
and pavement markings in the cities as
well as on the rural highways. It in
cludes a program as to what should
be done to improve city traffic facilities.
IL includes program of education of
children and adults in trafic safety.
1t includes a program for enforcement
OF the traffic laws and regulations. It
includes matters relating to the de-
sign and maintenance of the motor
vehicle in the interest of safety.
1 said that I had figures here that
model ordinance and uniform code offer
one of the biggest bargains on the
counter before the American people
today. A little calculation has shown
that the traffic congestion in Boston
is costing $8l, 900 day, or $24, 500 900
a year over and above the $4,000 900
loss due to accidents. In Chicago a
similar estimate was made to. the effect
that it is costing that city $500 900 a
day, or over $200, 900, 900 at year. In
New York the estimate is that it is
costing 100000 day, or $500, 000, 900
a year.
Accident Cost Is High.
One Of the committees of the Ma
tional Conference on Street and High
way Safety was requested by Mr. Hoover
to make an estimate In order to get
some idea of what it is costing the
Nation as a whole. The estimate,
which was conservative, showed a cost
OF $4,000 600 600 a wear in losses due