Evening star., 1951-11-26
Virginia Council
Urges Stiffer
Traffic Laws
Report to Gov. Bottle
Asks Jail Terms for
All Drunken Drivers
BY the Associated Press

ooe 4ll 1dFOI VI IIldIlUdGOTy Jdl
sentences for drunk drivers ane
for persons driving with revoked
permits.
At the same time, the coun.
Gil, delivered a singing rebuke tt
the Department of State Police
the Division of Motor Vehicle.
and local law enforcement au.
thorities for a lack of co-opera-
ton in the effort to cut down on
the Old Dominion's mounting
traffic accident rate.
The group also sharply criti-
cized the public for not making
itself aware "of the severe penal
ties which may be imposed for
careless. reckless or drunken op-
Grafton of a motor vehicle"
In the opinion of the coun-
cil," said the report, "if the ex-
listing statutes were applied to
cases which are brought before
the courts, a drastic reduction
would take place Immediately.
Further, the council is amazed
at the extent to which juries and
some judges are apparently un-
willing to apply remedial penal
ties to the reckless and irrespon-
sible driver"
To its 29-page report to Gov.
Battle. who had requested the
probe of highway mishaps, the
nine-man council - headed by
Delegate Edmund T. DeJarnette
of Ashland-appended proposed
drafts of four bills to be intro
duced in the General Assembly. to
carry out the reports recon-
mendations.
Other Proposals.
In addition to mandatory jail
terms for first-offense drunk driv-
ers and drivers with revoked per-
mits, the council recommended
tions included:
l. Driver training programs
should be continued wherever
possible and classroom instruc-
ton in driver training should be
given in all public high schools.
2. The Division Of Motor We
hicles should re-establish its hear
ings program regarding the flnan-
cial responsibility law.
3. There should be closer CO.
operation between Division of Mo-
tor Vehicles and the State police
concerning the recording of traffic
violations against drivers.
4. All persons convicted of two
moving traffic violations or in
volved as drivers in two motor
vehicle accidents within a year
should be re-examined to deter
mine their fitness to operate mo-
tor vehicles.
5. The law should require, and
Division of Motor Vehicles should
provide for. recording on the back
of licenses the holders driving
record-including speeding, reck-
less driving and drunken driving
for the previous three years.
6. "A system of road checks of
all vehicles would be particularly
effective" in removing unlicensed
drivers from Virginia highways.
7. The State police should con-
slider highway work their pri-
mary responsibility" and leave
local crime Investigations to local
authorities except in a few in
stances.
Best Use of Troopers.
8. State police should be re-
moved from duties at weighing
stations. and women or men not
qualified as full-time troopers
should serve as dispatchers at
State police radio stations.
8. Juries and courts should
consider imposing heavier fines
and Jail sentences" for first
offense speeders.
10. Proper warning signs should
be placed at entrances to the
State telling motorists that high
way laws will be enforced rigidly
II. Trial justices should make
every effort to handle traffic cases
expeditiously and limit continu.
anceS only to ''meritorious cases.
H. Citizens traffic committees
should be set up and grand juries
should be convened at appropriate
intervals ito inquire into the en-
forcement of our traffic laws"
13. A minimum speed law should
be set up because "the driver who
crawls along materially reduces
the effectiveness" of arterial roads
and leads to violations. State
troopers should arrest persons
who appear to be driving "at such
speed as unnecessarily to block
hinder or retard the orderly anC
safe use of the highway or so as
to cause congestion on the high.
way"
IA. Differential speed limit.
should be established for CONNER.
cial vehicles and other cars-1(
miles per hour lower for motor
trucks and maximum of 81
miles an hour for vehicles such
as "pole-trailers."
is. Trial justices should be en-.
couraged to schedule traffic cases
at the beginning of court so thai
State troopers will have to spenc
minimum of time presenting
evidence in such cases.
Notes Turn Conflicts.
The council also noted tha
a conflict on left turns and high.
way markings should be clarified
passing in the right lane shouli
be made legal on certain four.
lane highways where traffic ad
heres to the left lane; traffic with
in the circle at a traffic circle in
tersection should be given tn,
legal right of way: and bloc,
tests should be used, where pos
sible, to determine the state O
intoxication of driver.
With regard to reckless driving
the council remarked that tn
present statute provides ampl
penalties, IF properly applied"