Evening star., 1933-03-26
In the Motor World
By G. ADAMS HOWARD.

after all, it is rather expensive proof.
The standard law as recommended by
the National Conference on Street and
Highway Safety simply locks the barn
before the horse is stolen. 1t heads of
the accident by removing the cause. In
short, it takes from the highway one
of the most important contributing fac
tors-the incompetent driver.
The right type Of law puts premium
on competence and skill in driving Not
only does it remove the dangerous driver,
but also the one who is too lazy or igno-
rant to learn the necessary English to
familiarize himself with traffic rules. It
provides a check-up on accidents and
gives a permanent record of each license
holder. 1t assists in a scientific study
of the causes of accidents whether at
tributable to mechanical failure, engi-
neering defects or human negligence.
1t promotes an orderly Statewide con-
troll of motor transportation and uni
form supervision Of vehicle operators.
In short, it Is tried and true safety
measure.
Now in the face of the 81 per cent
saving in human life which the National
Safety Councils survey reveals, it would
seem rather hard to conjure up any
sound objections to the passage of such
a measure. Nevertheless, from time to
time, two major objections have been
voiced against the law which might be
summarized as follows:
Cd That this Is not the time to sad
die extra expense on the taxpayers
(2) That the adoption of the law
would adversely affect the sale Of cars
Arguments Held Unsound.
Examination of facts reveals that
both of these arguments are unsound.
The first objection seems more serious
than the second, for there is no evad-
ing the fact that the taxpayer has
about all the load he can carry at the
present time. Yet the license fee on the
average is ridiculously low. and in quite
number of the States it amounts to
exactly 1913 cents year. The sum Of
81 is paid for a three-year license. That
certainly isn't very much Of burden
on anybody and If one considers the
benefits in ridding the streets Of human
hazards he will look upon the 33Is-cent
annual investment as mighty cheap
casualty insurance.
AS to the second objection the Sta
tistical Bureau of the National Safety
Council recently made survey to ascer-
tain if the law actually did have an ad-
verse effect on car sales. Here is what
was found:
During the last 10 years motor vehicle
registrations in the States now having
strong drivers license laws have in
creased 172 per cent, or from 3,317,528
to 9,015,927. In the same period the
registration in all other States went up
only 135 per cent, from 7l45,7 767 to
16.798,176.
The difference in the rate of increase
In registrations is in a small measure
due to a more rapid increase in popula-
ton in the license law States, but this is
a relatively unimportant factor as shown
by the figures on registrations per 900
population. The license law States had
a car density in 1921 of 90 cars per 900
persons. BY 1881 this had risen 100 per
cent to 2l4. The non-license States, on
the other hand. started the period with
SO cars per 1000 persons, and by 1881
had increased this figure only 109 per
cent to 205 cars. Thus registration in
creased more rapidly in the license law
States even after eliminating the in
fuence of population.
Should Garry Weight.
The National Conference on Street
and Highway Safety, under the chair
manship Of the Secretary of Commerce,
Is sponsoring the law and urging its
adoption everywhere. For eight years
now Uncle Sam has been very much in
tertested in uniform traffic laws and
particularly the drivers license legisla-
ton. That fact in itself should carry
weight with any who doubt its prac-
ticability.
1t is expected that the law will be an
issue in quite a number of States during
legislative sessions of 1898. These in
clude Minnesota, Missouri, Florida,
North Dakota, South Dakota. Georgia
Illinois. Texas, Tennessee and possibly
some others. Also it is encouraging to
note that In few States which already
have non-standard drivers license laws,
an effort is to be made to strengthen
them to conform to the standard pro-
vi eli