Evening star., 1956-12-26
ArrayofB Bills
On Traffic Due
.InMary|dnd
Legislative Council
Has II Measures
Reudy for Assembly

hardly open shop next week be-
fore 1t gets a batch of bills aimed
at sweeping revisions Of the
Motor Vehicle Code.
If you're a Maryland driver,
here's how some of the proposed
changes would affect you:
l. Every three years you would
be required to turn in your
license and submit to re-exami-
nation to get another one.
2. Your automobile or truck
would be subject to annual in
spection for mechanical defects.
3. Your license plates would be
"reflectorized," or of a type
which would be visible for at
least 1,500 feet in the beam Of
standard headlights, and would
be issued for periods Of at least
three years.
! 4. Chemical or "drunkometer"
tests could be used as evidence
if you were involved in a drunken
driving case.
I S. If you we're involved in a
fatal accident and accused of
manslaughter by automobile. the
State would merely have to prove
you were guilty Of driving in
reckless disregard of safety" in
stead of in disregard Of human
life"
6. You would be required to
carry liability insurance.
), These are among II motor
vehicle proposals which will be
introduced by the Legislative
Council at the outset of the ses-
sion. They account for more than
one-third of the 76 pieces Of
Legislation screened by the coun-
Gil since the last session Of the
General Assembly.
Many Controversial Issues
Those which pass this be-
tween-sessions screening theo-
retically have running start
toward passage when the law
makers meet in Annapolis. But
there are so many hot pota-
toes" or controversial items, in
this group Of motor vehicle pro-
posals that the council sent the
entire kit to Annapolis without
recommendation"
All except the proposal on
compulsory insurance were
drafted by a committee under
: Delegate Edgar P. Silver, Demo-
crat Of Baltimore. fifth.
A 37-year-old lawyer who has
clerked in Baltimore Superior
Court for l3 years, Delegate Sill
yer is a freshman legislator but
has few illusions about his pre-
grams overall chances for sue
. cess. Many Of its features have
| been showed into the legislative
mill before. only TO die there.
But this is a life-saving prop
osition." Mr.. Silver says, "and
: we've got TO start somewhere.
; Maryland's traffic death toll this
r year is already over 535-about
: IS ahead Of last year. Another
, 35 900 will be among the injured.
/ many Of them manned for life.
When you talk about traffic
accidents. you're talking about
af epidemic. We know there1l
! be opposition 10 some Of our
proposals because they'll inconv
venience all Of US TO some extent.
j. But when you have a polio cpl
r demic you don't mind the IN
convenience Of a needle in the
2 arm to wipe out the epidemic.
] do you?"
denomination Stressed
Mr.. Silver said he personally
: considers the driver re-esNgnina-
tion bill the most important Of
: the lot because Maryland is the
only State in the Nation with a
! permanent licensing system.
Nowhere else in America" he
: said, do you hand a l6-year-olo
boy a drivers license and tell
him, This is yours for life.
The committee feels the bill
would help authorities weed oui
drivers with inadequate vision o.
, other dangerous physical defects
acquired since their licenses were
issued.
Nr. Silver said more than 200
motorists. church. civic, frater-
nal and other groups already
have indorsec his committee'S
proposals.
He pictured the legislative
program as a move toward get
ting Maryland acceptance o. q
uniform vehicle code for tne
, entire Nation. q project backed
b. the National Committee or
! Uniform Trsfnc Laws and Oroi-
nsnces
Other Committee Proposals
) Other Silver Committee pro-
posals call for
/. Setting Up compulsory
courses in driver edUcstson In
public high schools
2. Licensing the regulation q
privately operated drlver-inEtrlc-
tson schools
2. Increasing the maximum
penalty for h.t-sno-run dy1ying
. 70 Imprisonment fos 30 days n
one year and = FIRE of 81 900. In
g:szd u 20 days ard 800
& MAKING the juvenile ciyi-
sion o! Baltimore City Trsfac
Court permanent ciyiSior
thereby pzeysnt.ng "a posaisis
abolition ~ snT rev chief nss :
igtrs.e
s. Enabling TIE eognties " ~;
! W similar jVTenile trsasc eo1rt
DIVISIONS
8. RAISING from 800 70 s20o
ire minimum FIRE foF driving
under tke las1efes os aicohoi
: N narcotics.
{ There are ssho many otherz.
2 ranzns ffo-a oue 70 clarity The
2 lsE On Issuance ~ tenpogs.y