TRAFFIC LAWS AND ORDINANCES 257

subjects in which we share a vital interest, namely sound laws and
traffic safety.

Before becoming Governor of Maryland I was the County Executive
of Baltimore County, and in this capacity I had the privilege of work-
ing with your organization in a cooperative effort to secure necessary
laws and safety programs.

I am convinced that in order to have an enduring and effective traffic
safety program, we must enact sensible and reasonably uniform laws.
The recent Federal Highway Safety Act of 1966 is a major step in
the right direction, and it provides a stepping stone for effective State
action.

We in Maryland are in substantial agreement with the proposed
highway safety standards and, I can say with some pride, that in many
instances our State programs either meet or exceed the tentative pro-
posals. In some areas where Maryland was not in compliance, correc-
tive legislation was introduced at the last Legislative session. In some
instances, we were successful; in others, we were not.

We were successful in securing the enactment of comprehensive
legislation requiring the special examination and licensing of the
operators of two-wheeled vehicles and we anticipate the enactment of
legislation requiring the use of approved helmets and goggles for the
operators of motorcycles should such a requirement be included in
the final Federal standards.

We were equally successful in securing the enactment of legislation
bringing Maryland's driver education program into substantial con-
formity with that recommended by your Bureau and in gaining ap-
proval from the General Assembly of this State's participation in the
development of a National Highway Safety program.

Unfortunately, proposals to establish a system of periodic motor
vehicle inspection, an implied consent law and periodic reexamination
of drivers 65 years of age and older were not enacted. A proposal re-
quiring the State Department of Public Welfare to submit the names
of individuals applying for blind benefits to the State Department of
Motor Vehicles was opposed by the Department of Health, Education
and Welfare, whose representatives indicated that such disclosures
might jeopardize Federal welfare assistance. Thus, we found ourselves
in the curious position of supporting one Federally recommended pro-
gram partly to avoid the loss of funds only to be confronted with the
prospect of losing funds from another Federal source should the pro-