The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-03-26
Recommends That Every State
Adopt Provisions Of Uni
form Vehicle Code
BY JOHN J. HULL
Director Of street and highway safe
division of national bureau of ca

BY JOHN j. HULL
Director of street and highway safety
division of national bureau Of cas-
ualty and surety underwriters.
There are hundreds Of thousands
Of unsafe motor vehicles operating
upon our streets and highways;
these are a menace to safe driving.
Because Of the depression many cars
that would In normal times have been
traded in for new ones have been
kept in operation. There is hardly a
day passes that you do not pick up
newspaper and find that human
lives have been lost because Of
truck or motor car having inadequate
brakes, faulty lights or defective
steering mechanism. Last year near
ly $4,000 men, women and children
lost their lives in motor vehicle acci-
dents; approximately 100000 were
manned and injured, some for life.
This is problem which from the
humanitarian standpoint and the &C.
onomic standpoint as well should ar.
rest the attention of state officials,
city officials and all users Of our
streets and highways. An automobile
that is not under proper control or
that is not in first-class mechanical!
condition as to its safety factors Is
death dealing instrument. How
ever, it Is not the automobile itself
that is to blame but the operator who
is willing to drive a car that he knows
is unsafe. Don't put off till tomor-
row what should be done today; have
your brakes fixed at once; keep your
car in condition.
Recommends Vehicle Code
In recognition of proper equipment
and systematic mechanical inspec-
tons as important aids to traffic
safety, the Committee on Mainte-
nance Of the Motor Vehicle OF the
National Conference on Street ano
Highway Safety recommended that
every state should adopt the provis.
ions of the Uniform Vehicle Code
(Act w relating to equipment to-
gether with the necessary detailed
administrative regulations consistent
Herewith. It recommended peri.
odic inspection of all vehicles IN tht
state, pointing out that such inspec'
lions should be under rigid state SUI
pervision and preferably under auth
orization by state law.
Many states have already realizet
the Importance of periodical IN
spection of motor vehicles and tn
following states have adopted Sucf
inspection laws: Pennsylvania. New
Jersey, Massachusetts,, New Hamp
shire, Maryland, Delaware and New
Mexico. Other states such as New
York, Vermont and Rhode 1slant
will have motor vehicle equipment IN
spection bills introduced at their com
ing state legislative sessions. Thes'
bills should have the active supper
of every one interested in street ant
highway safety. Pennsylvania's moto
vehicle inspection law requires all mo
tor vehicles registered in the state t.
be inspected within three month
period of time. Their campaign be
gan Jan. LIST. New Jersey plans t
hold a similar campaign sometim
early in the spring OF this year.
Campaigns arc Conditioned
In 1880, nine states conducted Save
Allie Motor Vehicle Equipment In
spection campaigns. A total of 3,
414,997 cars were inspected. In thu
campaign 100000 defective brake
were corrected, 100000 defectiv
lights adjusted, and 2l7,00O defectiv
steering mechanisns were put Int
first-class condition. These campaign
were inaugurated upon proclamation
of the governor and were conducte'
by the commissioners of motor We
hicles.
Every state in the Union where i
is possible to conduct motor vehicle
equipment inspection campaign
should do so this year; first, because
| it is a safety measure of primary i'm
portance and, second, because thes'
campaigns will give employment K
hundreds of thousands OF men nov
out of work. It takes labor and ma
terial to put unsafe cars. in saf'
condition; the cotton industry vii
benefit in the sale of millions Of fee
of brake lining; the steel industr.
will benefit in the sale Of small tools
equipment and requirements TO
worn out parts: the light bulb indus
| try will benefit, as will the glass in
dustry, in the sale Of millions o
bulbs to insure safe driving at night
the rubber industry will benefit in tn
replacement of millions Of windshield
wiper blades which are at the pres
sent time defective. These campaign
will not only give employment II
thousands of men that are out o
work but they will pay for themselve
many times over in the saving Of lif
and in the saving Of the expense o
accidents.