of Schools was established to administer these regulations. And work
was begun on the new multi-million-dollar Department of Motor Vehi-
cles headquarters building—a project which is scheduled for completion
within the next few months. As a final measure, I continually stressed
the importance of harmony and close cooperation between the State
agencies on all matters concerning the safety of the citizens of our State.
As a part of the second phase, or stage, of this program, we undertook
to establish continuing safety plans—plans designed to improve record-
keeping operations and also to improve the administration and enforce-
ment of safety laws. As was the case with those plans falling under the
first stage of the program, many of these operations required the passage
of legislation.
During the 1960 session, the General Assembly passed laws calling for
the inauguration of the point system for penalizing violators of motor
vehicle laws and providing for the biennial renewal of driver's licenses.
From all the reports I have received, and from all other indications,
these programs proved their worth during the past year, providing the
Department of Motor Vehicles with accurate and up-to-date information
on all Maryland drivers.
At the 1960 session also, the legislators approved a measure establish-
ing funds for driver education in the public schools of the State.
Authority was further granted for chemical tests to be administered by
the police to determine the sobriety of drivers. To further supplement
this stage of the program, the penalty for hit-and-run drivers was
stiffened, and we embarked upon a sign program for safety in coopera-
tion with the State Roads Commission.
With the implementation of the State-wide driver rehabilitation
clinics within the next month or so, our initial 14-point program for
traffic safety will be completely operative. Under this rehabilitation
program, problem drivers in Baltimore City and the 23 counties of the
State will be required to attend clinics once a week for four weeks. These
clinics will consist primarily of lectures, with such aids as slides, movies
and so on—all designed to improve both the skills and the attitudes of
persons classified as problem drivers.... We have great hope and great
confidence that this plan of rehabilitation will be effective in our
program of accident prevention.
As for the future, one such program under study for possible develop-
ment is the establishment of a system for State inspection of motor
vehicles. Recently, the Chairman of the Legislative Council appointed a
committee to study the problem and make its recommendations to me
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