REPORT ON PUBLIC OFFICIALS TRAFFIC
SAFETY CONFERENCE

Washington, D. C. — December 9-10, 1957
By STATE OF ILLINOIS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY,
DIVISION OF TRAFFIC SAFETY

Official delegates from Illinois to the Public Officials Conference on Traffic Safety sponsored by the President's Committee for Traffic Safety had an opportunity to observe first-hand, the problems and progress of each State in its efforts to improve its own traffic safety situation.

Following is a summary of the conference which saw 36 delegates from Illinois in attendance. This group included Governor William G. Stratton and Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier who participated in the many sub-committee conferences on subjects which included the following:

Accident Records
Laws and Ordinances
Police Enforcement
Court Enforcement
Engineering
Education
Official Co-ordination—Local
Official Co-ordination—State
Public Information
Motor Vehicle Administration and a special section on research.

The two-day session was opened by a message of greetings from President Dwight D. Elsenhower and included messages from Vice-President Richard M. Nixon, Harlow H. Curtice, President of General Motors Corporation and Chairman of the President's Committee; and Governors Stratton of Illinois and Ribicoff of Connecticut.

Keynoting the conference, Vice-President Nixon observed, "Pressure for national action on such prog-rams as traffic control, school construction, and others develop only when there is a failure on the part of local citizens to act through their municipal and State Governments."

Speaking before 400 delegates to the conference, Mr. Nixon said, "The traffic safety problem represents a major national challenge and at the same time an opportunity for local people to step up to their obligations of citizenship."

"There is a present tendency to sell America short," Mr. Nixon said. "We haven't always been first in everything, but we've never finished behind in anything to which we directed our full energies."

Governor Stratton, speaking as chairman of the Governors' Conference, accepted the challenge on behalf of all states to perform satisfactorily in the field of traffic safety. He said, "We recognize that the governor is the head of the effort in the state. We have accepted that responsibility as governors, and we have accepted the challenge, as states and cities and counties, to perform this function of traffic safety at home, where it belongs." .

Upon adjournment of the general session, official delegates met for further discussion and appraisal of needs in sub-committee workshops under the general headings as previously mentioned.

Delegates sifted scores of proposals for stepped-up accident prevention to develop a set of priority measures which can be launched at once with the goal of cutting traffic fatalities and injuries in half during the coming year.

Highlights of the proposals for inclusion in the priority program were the following:

a. A one hundred per cent step-up in traffic police activity with manpower concentrated at those times and locations which are the real, rather than the imagined causes of accidents.

b. Close co-operation between vehicle manufacturers, road builders and traffic engineers to co-ordinate vehicle design, highway design and traffic operations.

c. Establishment of realistic, reasonable and enforceable speed limits, on a zone basis which will result in smoother traffic movement and renewed for law.

d. Immediate adoption by all states of uniform rules of the road and installation of uniform traffic signs, signals and markings.

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e. Requirement that all applicants for a driver's license have completed an approved high school driver education course and that there be periodic re-examination of older drivers.

f. Compulsory periodic safety inspection of vehicles.

g. An upgrading in the quality and quantity of motor vehicle administration including driver licensing, to keep pace with growing motor travel.

h. Improvement of traffic courts, including requirement of court appearances for all moving violators and for adoption of the uniform no-fix traffic ticket.

i. Aggressive leadership on the part of public officials and the establishment of a citizen-support traffic safety organization in every state and major community.

j. Adherence to and support for the high safety standards provided for under the new highway construction program and particularly for control of access on highways where traffic volumes justify.

Needless to say, these points for priority program will vary from State to State and it is obvious that Illinois has gone a long way toward accomplishing the major portion of these 10 points.

However, the times were discussed fully in each of the workshops with the following additional proposals :

Expanded research into causes of accidents and congestion.

Establishment of official traffic safety Coordinating Committees in every state, county and municipality.

Of eight special workshops at the conference, three singled out tougher driver license requirements as their number one priority item for improving the traffic accident situation.

The Education workshop called for completion of a State-approved driver training course as a condition for a driver license.

The Motor Vehicle Administration workshop proposed a requirement that no person, regardless of age, be licensed who has not completed an approved driver training course in the high schools. This workshop further proposed that such driver courses be made available to adults in the evenings or weekends.

The Laws and Ordinances workshop called for immediate adoption by all of the States of the provisions of the Uniform Vehicle Code relating to the licensing of drivers.

In the field of traffic police, it was recommended that, as a first step, an objective and authoritative study of the traffic accident and congestion problem be undertaken in every State and local community to provide the basis for a sound official program.

Similarly, it was proposed that there be a strengthening in accident record collection and analysis so that adequate attention will be focused on the "why" and "how" of accidents as a sound guide for action by public officials.

As a first step in the expansion of basic research into traffic accidents it was recommended that there be established a clearing house of safety research and a central advisory service to keep safety agencies posted of projects in progress and results achieved.

Obviously, all of these recommendations do not apply to each of the 48 states since some have progressed further in certain areas than others. To achieve that which is still "needed by each of the States, it was recommended that each immediately review the needs, recommendations and appraisal of their own traffic safety activities as supervised by the National Safety Council and develop its own chart of needs. This information would then become the basis of discussion at a regional meeting of citizens interested in traffic safety to provide the necessary citizen support for adoption of those items which are lacking the well-rounded program.

Fortunately, the State of Illinois was given the opportunity to present an appraisal of its needs to the Public Officials Conference to serve as a guide to other States in developing the proper format.

The appraisal, entitled "Time For Action" was a summary of Illinois Traffic Safety progress during the past year, a review of recommendations for action by the State as presented by leading national traffic safety authorities and a listing of future needs to bring the Illinois program in line with all phases of the President's Committee Action Program.

Fifteen accomplishments were listed in the appraisal :

Establishment of a Governor's Coordinating Committee of Traffic Safety Officials, meeting as often as necessary to review major plans and developments, decide action and set policy.

Enactment of Driver Training and Education laws to provide proper youth instruction in behind-the-wheel phase of driver education.

Appropriation of sufficient funds to provide State-Aid for behind-the-wheel driver education.

Set standards for the qualification of Driver Education instructors in State schools receiving aid for training.

Increase in the size of the State Highway Police to adequately cope with the increase in auto registration, licensed drivers and motor vehicle travel.

Appropriation of an adequate budget to provide for manpower needs of State Highway Police.

Provisions made for the purchase of sufficient equipment to expand patrol coverage.

Provisions made for sufficient number of full-time traffic law enforcement troopers.

Completion of a new State Highway Police Policy manual which covers all phases of operation including general organization and administration.

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Passage of a new law setting standards for Chemical Test for Intoxication conforming to national recommendations.

Adoption of the Uniform Traffic Ticket and Complaint by the State Highway Police and encouragement of all other enforcement agencies by the state to adopt the same ticket.

Authority granted for installation of electronic data processing machinery to properly supervise driver licensing and control.

New law passed requiring special examination for chauffeur's license according to type of vehicle to be driven.

Authorization was given for a complete study of the State's traffic court system by the American Bar Association.

Full participation by the State in the Federal Roadbuilding program to insure improved roads for greater safety.

Listed as definite needs for the State's continued advancement in the field of traffic safety were a number of basic recommendations which are to be considered the goals of an official program of action:

All traffic legislation should conform to the Uniform Vehicle Code.

Enabling legislation should be passed to permit cities to adopt the Model Traffic Ordinance by reference.

A centralized agency should be responsible for accurate comparison of State laws (proposed and existing) with Uniform Vehicle Code.

All cities should adopt State-sponsored Model Traffic Ordinance by reference.

To assure better accident reporting, the State should adopt provisions of the Uniform Vehicle Code regarding immediate notice of accident to nearest enforcement agency.

Funds should be provided for expansion of Central Accident Records section.

Additional equipment should be provided for complete accident records tabulation and analysis.

Additional personnel should be provided to process traffic accident data.

A traffic accident analyist is needed to efficiently interpret developed information.

A standard accident report form should be provided for all accident investigating agencies.

State-wide summaries of traffic accidents should be prepared using standard forms and schedules.

A public safety education program should be developed to insure more complete reporting of traffic accidents.

Additional information should be provided concerning traffic accidents for use in public safety education.

A minor in Driver Education should be required of all instructors teaching subject in State schools.

A supervisor of Safety should be appointed in every school to coordinate safety education programs on all levels.

Each school should participate in the National Safety Council School Safety Honor Roll program.

Each school should use Standard Student Accident Reporting System.

State workshops should be conducted to improve quality of driver education instruction and develop more public support for behind the wheel training which remains the option of the school in participation in State-Aid programs.

Expanded student participation in school and community safety activities.

All State Highway Police personnel on Command level should receive special traffic enforcement training.

Selected troopers in each area should receive special training in subjects such as Chemical testing, Accident records keeping and the like.

All traffic courts should be made courts of record.

Traffic court judges should receive special training prior to hearing cases.

A State agency should maintain supervision over traffic courts to insure uniform treatment of violators.

Driver Licensing and Control branch of State

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REPORT ON PUBLIC OFFICIALS TRAFFIC SAFETY CONFERENCE

(Continued from page 31)

government should receive authorization for at least 50 driver improvement analysts to properly supervise program.

Extensive training should be given to all drivers licensing personnel to assure proper licensing procedures.

All training- should be conducted in accordance with standards set by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

State should consider development of new driver license testing stations with special closed course testing lanes to assure uniform examination according to AAMVA standards.

More time should be devoted to engineering studies of high accident highway locations and intersections for improvement.

Highway lighting program should be expanded at high night accident locations.

State should consider adoption of periodic motor vehicle inspection program when all other phases of the Action Program are accomplished.

Adequate funds should be provided for the development of a Research and Training Center at the University of Illinois as provided by law.

In the field of public support for official programs, the State of Illinois is in need of a Statewide Public Support agency financed by private capital and contribution to assure coordination of citizen programs dovetailed with official action.

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