SPIRO T. AGNEW, Governor                     1737

tors of motor vehicles are having much difficulty in securing motor
vehicle liability insurance to cover them in the operation of their
motor vehicles.

Motor vehicle insurance is practically a necessity in modern
society. The State of Maryland has recognized this fact in its laws on
financial responsibility, making it extremely difficult for motorists to
operate their motor vehicles if they do not have proper insurance
coverage.

Many studies made by persons and organizations interested in the
deaf have demonstrated that these drivers are among the best of all
motor vehicle operators. Thus, an experiment with deaf drivers in
the State of Pennsylvania showed that they had compiled an
amazingly accident-free driving record. This study indicated that
among more than 3,000 deaf drivers who are licensed in the State of
Pennsylvania, no one of them had been involved in a serious accident,
causing personal injury or death.

Many states, including Maryland, permit the licensing of deaf
drivers. It is unfortunate and ironic that after being permitted to
obtain motor vehicle operating licenses and after having compiled
good operating and safety records, they then have difficulty in
motor vehicle insurance.

A country-wide judgment of motor vehicle administrators and
licensing officials throughout all fifty states and the District of
Columbia showed these results: four administrators stated flatly
that the deaf are among our best drivers; nineteen administrators
adjudged deaf drivers to be above average in safe driving ability;
twenty-four of these officials stated that in their opinion deaf drivers
are average in driving ability; two jurisdictions voiced no opinions,
and only one administrator stated that deaf drivers are below average
in driving ability.

Some years ago, the Superintendent of the Lexington School for
the Deaf in New York City summarized a number of studies that
have been made in the United States during the past twenty years
concerning licensing of deaf drivers. The general studies indicated:

1.    That impairment of hearing does not seem to be an important
contributing cause of automobile accidents.

2.    That the deaf as a group are very careful drivers.

3.    That their accident record is exceptionally good.

4.    That motor vehicle administrators and others responsible for
the licensing of deaf drivers do not regard deaf drivers as any
particular hazard.

5.    That by far the greater number of warning signals are received
through the eyes. (This statement was advanced in a study made
by the AAA which found that 97 per cent of warning signals were
visually received.)

6.    That hearing aids do not necessarily correct a hearing loss
while driving inasmuch as most people wearing hearing aids turn
them off while the car is in motion due to noise and other distur-
bance.