Evening star., 1937-01-31
NEW /. C.. C.. REGULATIONS
PROMISE HIGHWAY SAFETY
Bus and Truck Control After July l,
With States Cooperation, Encour.
aging to Officials.

eral agency would have beneficial
effect upon drivers"
Even In the absence OF q licensing
plan, however, the commission lays
down two other important rules: AL
drivers must be able to understand
traffic and warning signs, and new.
comers to the occupation after July I
must read and speak English. The
age limit will be 81 after, and not less
than 18, prior to that date also.
The commission did not find it adj
visable to lay down a speed limit. be-
cause no completely satisfactory So
luton has yet been found for the
problem of controlling motor vehicle
speed upon the open highway" This
angle also Is to get further study, and
in the meanwhile the basic rule Is
that speed at no time should be
greater than is reasonable or prudent
under the existing conditions" and at
all times local ordinance will govern.
There also Is a prohibition against
drivers working when fatigued, a pro-
vision meant to govern hours Of serv-
ice, and a specific Injunction against
hitch-hiking on trucks. A like rule for
buses apparently was not thought
necessary.
Provision as to accessories and
equipment, inspection and mainte-
nance, and the prompt reporting Of
accidents, round out the rules. These
accident reports, Incidentally, must
start April !, the commission wanting
to get the jump there.
In launching its Nationwide study
OF safety practices, the commission
disclosed woeful lack Of uniformity
among the States. and. in some In
stances, what was worse, an almost
total lack Of regulation. AS it was
remarked on at the time, the range
Of the regulatory scale was good, bad
and Indifferent"
Hope Rests on States.
More by accident than design, the
PRONUNCIATION of the rules came at a
time when Legislatures of 40-odd
States are going into session. and in
many cases these are taking the OPP
portunity to make their own laws
conform to the commission program.
It is in the interest shown in the States
as a whole that the commission sees
hope for improving traffic conditions
generally.
Little need be said here Of the
gravity of the highway-accident prob
lem in the United States, for the facts
are well known" the commission said
in its report. THE absolute number
of motor-vehicle fatalities has been
steadily growing in recent years, al.
though it should be noted that the
their exposure to accident also has
been increasing. In 1894 nnntor-ve.
hicle fatalities numbered Sc, ,l0l; In
1885, $1,000 (estimatedD; in 1886, they
may reach 1880, according to best
available estimates. Injuries tnvolv.
ing permanent or temporary disabil.
tiles in 1885 aggregated more than
1,25c.0o0. while the total economic
loss from deaths, injuries and prop
erty damage was conservatively esti.
mated to exceed $500, 100000
This alarming toll Of accidents
should be viewed of course in the
light of the very large number Of mo-
tor vehicles now using the streets
and highways Of the Nation. more
than 26,000, 900 at the end of 1885.
No figures are available to show how
many of these accidents involved ve-
hicles which are now to be subject
to the safety regulations of the COM
mission. In addition to the direct
effect upon the carriers subject to our
jurisdiction. however, these regulations
may be expected to have a certain
real influence upon the general acci-
dent situation. It is hoped and believed
that our findings upon such basic safe
ty elements in the operation of inter.
state buses and trucks as properly
qualified drivers, sound driving rules,
adequate brakes, lights and other parts
and accessories upon vehicles and a
proper reporting Of accidents, as well
as upon other important matters to
be considered In the future, will pro-
vide definite impetus toward a great.
er uniformity in the statutes and
regulations of the several States and
thereby toward better understanding Of
and compliance with highway safety
requirements by the general public.
THAT the results will be beneficial
in this larger field can hardly be
doubted"