ANNAPOLIS
June 30, 1966

I wish to announce today the establishment of a Traffic Safety
Advisory Council comprised of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the
Chairman-Director of the State Roads Commission, the Superintendent
of Maryland State Police and a representative from my office.

Mr. William Prescott Alien, publisher of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Tribune, has consented to serve as Chairman of the Council and as
Special Assistant to the Governor for Traffic Safety. The council will
be instructed to establish and maintain liaison with the appropriate
agencies of the federal government to implement Johnson's traffic safety
program when it clears the Congress and becomes effective.

In accordance with a recommendation made to me by the Governor's
Committee on Traffic Safety, the Council is also directed to draft a com-
prehensive program of traffic safety for introduction at the 1967 session
of the General Assembly. I will expect the Council to produce a series of
recommendations from proposals now under consideration by the State
Roads Commission, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Maryland
State Police, in addition to some studies that are being made by the
medical chirurgical faculty and others.

Concerning the Council's responsibility for liaison with the federal
government, it has been pointed out to me that the bill pending in the
Congress would require states to have a highway safety program ap-
proved by the Secretary of Commerce. Otherwise, they risk losing up
to 25 per cent of their share of federal highway money and federal
grants that would be made available under the Act. The Council will be
expected to have Maryland prepared to meet these federal requirements.

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