Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20
OREGON TAKES FORWARD STEP
BY ADOPTION OF UNIFORM CODE
Model Hig hway Traffic Law Held Vital
for Motorists by Official of West
Coast State.
BY HAL E. HOSS,
Secretary of State. Salem. Ores.

BY HAL E. HOSS,
Secretary of stste. Salem. Ores.
The State of Oregon took a forward
step in motor vehicle legislation in
1881, in the opinion of those conversant
with conditions, when it adopted the
third and fourth acts of the uniform
vehicle code, drafted by the National
Conference on Street and Highway
Safety. the former relating to the ex-
animation of operators and the latter to
the regulation of traffic on the high
ways.
The first and second acts Of the
code, adapted to Statewide legislation,
provide motor vehicle registration and
certificate of title laws, which have
been a part of the Oregon motor We
hicle system since 1925. BY over
whelming majorities both houses Of the
1881 Legislature approved the two new
measures which had been Endorsed
enthusiastically by many prominent in
dividuals, by organizations In the State
interested in the promotion of safety
and of uniformity in regulations and
by the Office of the secretary of State,
under whom jurisdiction Of motor We
hicle activities has been placed for
many years.
Reason for Interest.
Observance of traffic conditions in
Oregon during the last few years, study
of causes and results in oregon and in
other States, and helpful guidance OF
the National Conference in advancing
the development of better motor vehicle
legislation were responsible for my in
terest in the uniform code, with its
recommendations for perfecting laws
governing automobiles and their OPP
orators. I attended the 1880 session OF
the conference in Washington, D. c.
and obtained from 1t general knowl-
edge of the progress OF other states
along automotive lines ana specific
suggested plan, analysed and advocated
by nationally known traffic experts. for
the relief of the rapidly increasing
traffic congestion, with its attendant
dangers.
Oregon. with steady growth in mo-
tor vehicle registration, with widely va
RANT highway conditions, with laws not
definite enough to cove these Varl-
ances in conditions and to provide sum-
cient supervision over the operation OF
automobiles, and with citizenry open
minded toward changes, was ready 1or
a revamping of its motor vehicle stat
utes. After a study of the UNIFORM
code, it appeared to me that 1t was
! most vital for oregon to consider tnose
acts establishing model highway trai-
| fic law, which included the basic RUE
i for speed regulation and new rlgnt-ol-
way proviso, and authorizing tests Iof
operators of motor vehicles.
! For many years motorists in Oregon
| had followed the practice of the basic
rule for the amount of speed permitted
When the average driver was out In the
open country, where CROSSROADS were
| few and vision was clear for long dis
! tances ahead his rate of speed was
! good deal above the old limit of IS miles
| an hour, and the factor OF safety tc
! himself and others guided him in the
speed at which he Travelled. When ne
| was in the more closely settled districts
his rate was sharply reduced, ana n
! the cities even slower travel was auto
matte with him. Enforcement OF 9
| 35-mile limit for all conditions OF road
way was felt by officers concerned with
| this duty to be impractical and non
essential to safety.
UnfavorabIe Publicity.
Unfavorable publicity resulted in the
| elimination of speed traps, which
sprang up in the smaller communities
! in the State several years ago, and
| officers were not put out on the road for
the purpose of getting" the driver who
| travelled a few miles faster than the
exact speed established in the statutes
| but for the enforcement of safety reg
ulations for all. Since this basic rule
was followed in practice to such a great
extent in oregon, it was argued that the
! law governing the speed of motor We
| hiclas should be amended to permit the
| tiOT1 nf q in rnnfOTnlCV
to the standard of good sense as out
! lined in the basic rule. In other words
| to keep Mr. Average Driver from being
| a law breaker every time he took his
car out on the open highway change
! in the law was needed. Oregon has
| hundreds of miles of hard-surfaced,
| straight stretches where the 35-m1le
| limit was slower than imperative either
| for the safety of the driver or the users
| of the highway. The logic of this new
recommendation and the other proW-
sions of the model traffic act was read
| ily seen by members of the Legislature
| and the regulations for uniformity in
| traffic control with other progressive
| States were adopted.
Since the new traffic regulations be-
| came effective on June 6, 1881, public
| sentiment for the new law has in
creased. Reduction in motor vehicle
accidents in the State during the last
| six months of the year was ST per cent
and in fatalities a 80 per cent reduc-
! ton was effected.
Under Oregon's former law, operators
we're required to obtain a license to
drive. but no restrictions other than an
age limit and superficial inquiry as
to the drivers possible physical in
ability to operate car were made. A
annliaatiOy1 form and a dollar
bill alone were needed to get a permit
to drive in Oregon. Watching the i'm
proyement in conditions in other States
where operators examinations had been
requisite over a period Of years, I was
impressed by their definitely better
traffic accident records. With accident
rates increasing rapidly in the other
States it was clearly evident that the
examination requirements were wedding
out unfit drivers and, above all, were
educating all motor vehicle operators in
rules of the road and in safe driving
practices.
Value Of Tests.
The value Of the tests as educational
factors was in hlstelf SUFFICIENT indorse-
ment for the new law, which became
operative in Oregon July l, 1881. While
the provisions enacted in this State did
not require an immediate calling in of
all drivers licenses outstanding and al
lowed renewals to be mandatory some
time within the three years following
the effective date, interest was aroused
at once in the law and its purposes and
requirements, and this awakening Of in
terest was at once beneficial 1t was
pleasing, but surprising, to note the in
uuiries and requests for information on
the law, as it indicated, among other
things, healthy interest in any plan
to promote greater highway safety
One brief article IN o motorists
magazine brought more than 400 re-
quests In three days following publica-
ton for the Questions and Answers"