U.S. HIGHWAY DEATHS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28237, 27 March 1957, Page 19

U.S. HIGHWAY DEATHS

Disrespect For Law Blamed

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 25.

The ‘ American Bar Association today laid a “major part” of the blame for soaring highway deaths on public disrespect for the law. It told Congress today that tricky traffic ordinances in soTne communities, unqualified judges and summons “fixing” justices of the peace were destroying public respect for the Courts. It urged uniform traffic laws. Mr Charles Rhyne, chairman of the association’s house of delegates, told a House of Representatives sub-committee on traffic safety the conclusion was based on a Bar Association study dating from 1942. He said that more than 22m Americans were cited for traffic offences last year. About twothirds of the offences were parking violations. In most cases, Mr Rhyne said. Traffic Court is the only Court these Americans ever see. Mr Rhyne said he was recently “shocked” to learn there were places were justices of the peace still were elected “politically” and engaged in “fixing” summonses. “A Court is a Court to 90 per cent, of the people whose only knowledge of the judical process is gained in Traffic Court, and

the impression they get in Traffic Court is the impression they carry all their lives,” he said.

He said nothing was so frustrating to a motorist as to violate some little quirk in an ordinance in an “out of step” community.