CHAPTER 708

An Act to create the Virginia Traffic Safety Study Commission; to define
its powers and duties; and to appropriate funds therefor.

[H 724]
Approved April 6, 1966

Whereas, the growth in vehicle travel on our streets and highways
has created the greatest social problem of our times; and

Whereas, the growth in vehicle registration and use during the years
just ahead will sorely tax the capabilities of State and local agencies re-
sponsible for public safety and for the administration of motor vehicle
and traffic laws; and

; Whereas, it is essential to cope with the increasing toll of deaths,
injury, and economic loss from traffic and to that end State planning of
traffic safety functions should be placed on the same factual long range
basis as the planning of highway facilities and be reviewed periodically to
reflect changing conditions and needs as they develop; and
_ Whereas, the Congress of the United States has requested in Senate

Joint Resolution eighty-one voluntary action on the part of the several
states by January one, nineteen hundred sixty-eight providing that “each
state should have a highway safety program, approved by the Secretary
(of Commerce), designed to reduce traffic accidents on the federal-aid
system. Such highway safety program should be in accordance with uni-
form standards approved by the Secretary and should include, but not be
limited to, provisions for an effective accident records system, and meas-
ures calculated to improve driver performance, vehicle safety, highway
design and maintenance, traffic control, and surveillance of traffic for de-
tection and correction of high or potentially high accident locations”, now,
therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. There is hereby created a Commission of nineteen members to
be known as the Virginia Traffic Safety Study Commission. The member-
ship of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor.

. The Governor shall designate the Chairman of the Commission.
Members of the Commission shall be reimbursed their expenses incurred
in the performance of their duties, but shall be paid no other compensation.

§ 3. The Virginia Commission shall make a comprehensive study of
State and local services bearing on traffic study to (a) provide a factual
basis for long range planned improvement of State and local traffic safety
functions; (b) develop through joint planning and fact finding a better
public appreciation for State and local safety services and their benefits;
(c) guide the General Assembly and administrative officials in keeping
pace with future growth of highway transportation safety problems as
well as provide detailed recommendations for improvement in safety serv-
ices to Virginia motorists and a plan of priorities for implementing these
recommendations within the foreseeable future.

§ 4. In the development of a blueprint for a sound long range safety
program, the Commission, through the State Highway Commissioner and
other public officials of the State, is authorized to enter into agreements
with private and federal agencies to assist in the planning and studies
contemplated by this resolution. The Commission may employ consultants
aoe oe personnel, and rent office space, if needed, in pursuit of
i :

§ 5. In making such a study the Commission shall analyze and
evaluate, among other governmental functions relating to traffic safety,
the following: Driver education and driver improvement; driver licensing;
traffic safety promotion; safety and financial responsibility ; highway super-
vision and enforcement; accident reporting and use of accident records;
local-state coordination; highway engineering for safety and traffic opera-
tion; the courts’ relationship to law enforcement.

§ 6. The Commission may accept and expend gifts, grants and dona-
tions from any and all sources and persons. .

§ 7. For the expenses of the Commission and its work there is
hereby appropriated from the general fund of the State treasury the sum
of five thousand dollars, and there is further appropriated to it all gifts,
grants and donations received for such purpose.

§ 8. All agencies of the State shall assist the Commission in its study.

§ 9. The Commission shall complete its study and report to the
Governor and the General Assembly not later than September one, nine-
teen hundred sixty-seven.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.