Milford chronicle., 1956-07-27
OPEN SEASON ON "SITTING
DUCKSo


Come January first, New York
State will put into effect new regu-
lations for commercial vehicle
lighting that will bring Empire
State requirements for truck safe
ty equipment from below the ma
tional average to new high for all
the states to emulate.
But a New Jersey act, approved
May and effective Immediately,
the single weakness of the New
York regulations. Patterned gen.
orally on the recommendations of
the American Trucking Associa-
tions, New York will require turn
signals on all trucks, large or
small, new or old. But New Jersey
goes one step further and suggests
that turn signals be so wired that
they may be switched on to flash
simultaneously when the truck is
disabled on the road.
Such a traffic hazard is known to
the truckers as a Sitting duck"
and unless and until all vehicles
have the protection authorized by
New Jersey, the pile-ups they
cause are bound to increase-with
mounting toll of fatalities, blood
shed and property damage. Last
year there were 1880 Sitting
duck" deaths and $4,000 were in
jured in rear-end crashes. This
year, these figures are bound to be
larger.
But, as the new law in Jersey in
dicates, something can be done
about it-and right now. In fact,
nearly a million vehicles, both COM
meTcial and private, are now equip
ped with a special switch that con-
verts the standard turn lights into
four blazing disablement flares
that flash their warning unmistak-
ably by day or night. If your car
has turn lights, any competent me-
chanic can install such a switch
for about the cost of a tank of gas.
Or, if you like that kind of recreL
alton, you can buy disabled We
hicle warning switch for yourself
and install it Saturday instead of
watching the ball game. Maybe it
will only take you couple of inn
ings at that.
At least this will provide food
for thought next time you have to
change a left-side tire on a busy
highway at night.
Schools Next?
Swiftly following enactment of
the 8 year, 25 million dollar Fed
eral Aid Highway and Highway
Revenue Acts of 1856, have come
three bills, all designed to esrab
lish "a new Federal highway au
thority directly under the Presi-
dent, with suh-cabinet rank and
which would supersede or absorb
the Bureau of Public Roads.
Thus, if it is not already clear
who is going to be in charge of
roads in the 4S states from here
on, you might discover in the acts
passed with such loud cheers that
the Secretary of Commerce is di-
rected to study, among other things
the need for Federal assistance in
enforcement of highway safety and
speed requirements.
Perhaps It's too late to prevent
the states from signing over to
Washington previous authority over
and control of the roads with
in their borders. But this might
still be a warning against the tenn
porarily defeated plan to take over
our schools via Federal aid.
MIGHT START A TREND
Treasury Secretary George NJ.
Humphrey and Budget Director
Percival F. Brundage have reported
Jointly, proudly and happily that
for the fiscal year ended June 80.
the US Treasury showed its first
surplus since 1851
The amount of income over out
90 is s1,754, 100000 And while the
gentlemen have not indicated what
should be done with it, others have
been quick to point out that it is
not enough to provide a worth
while tax cut
But it is enough for a payment
on the national debt-wl.ieh would
be quite novelty!