The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, August 1, 1979-Page 5

City
traffic
law
now
statewide
By TIM YAGLE
The rest of the state will catch up
with Ann Arbor today when a new state
law becomes effective, making certain
traffic violations civil infractions in-
stead of criminal misdemeanors.
According to the new law, those who
receive tickets for offenses such as
running a red light or speeding no
longer face jail terms. The Ann Arbor
City Council in 1975 approved an or-
diance eliminating criminal charges
for driving violations, except for
driving under the influence of alcohol,
reckless driving, fleeing a police of-
ficerand leaving the scene of an ac-
cident.
TODAY THE CITY'S ordinance and
the state law become virtually the
same.
The new law will eliminate much
paperwork, hasten the judicial process,
and "hopefully cut down the number of
court appearances,"according to a
local judge who asked to remain
unidentified.
"It (the state law) will take the im-
pact off of the person stopped for
speeding," said Ann Arbor Police Chief
Walter Krasny.
THE NEW LAW, like the Ann Arbor
ordinance, allows three basic avenues
for a motorist who is handed a ticket:
waive a jury trial, admit guilt, and pay
the fine; plead not guilty and request an
informal hearing before a judge with
only the police officer and witnesses
presents; or request a formal hearing
before a judge with an attorney
present.
A "preponderance of evidence" is
necessary to prove guilt or innocence,
as in other civil proceedings, rather
than the "beyond a reasonable doubt"
credo required in a criminal case.
Driving violations which are con-
sidered civil infractions will not be en-
tered onto a person's criminal record,
according to the law.
CITATIONS WILL be delivered to
drivers who fail to respond to a ticket
with either a fine payment or hearing
request. If the citation is ignored, the
local police department can ask the
secretary of state to suspend or revoke
the drivers' licenses, or to take the
money out of the offending drivers'
bank accounts.
Ann Arbor Police Lt. William Hoover
said police officers will have to adjust
to the new ticketing system: He said of-
ficers can assume "there will be some
challenges" from the public if the
wrong type of ticket is issued.
Each ticket will include an ex-
planation of procedures to follow, ac-
cording to Hoover.
"IF A PERSON follows what he has
to do, he won't be hurt," said the judge.
"We aren't going to let someone get
railroded."
District Court Administrator Bob
Randall said there "will not be a great
deal of difference (immediately) in
court proceedings. We'll Aotice the im-
pact in another month."

AP Pho.
CHRYSLER CORP., the nation's No. 3 automaker, reported yesterday it lost more money in the second quarter than in
all of last year. Chrysler Chairman John Riccardo and President Lee Iacocca cited slow sales and government regula-
tions as reasons for the loss.
Chrysler turns in worst quarterly
show ingever; asks gov't aid

From UPI and AP
DETROIT - In its worst quarterly
performance in history, Chrysler Corp.
yesterday reported a second quarter
loss of $207.1 million and asked the
government to help it struggle back to
stability.
The disastrous showing was blamed
on slumping sales of less-fuel efficient
big cars and on government
regulations, which Chrysler Chairman
John Riccardo said cost twice as much
for the No. 3 automaker to meet than its
larger competitors.
RICCARDO TOLD a news conference
he believes some form of government
aid will be forthcoming.
IN Washington, the Treasury Depar-
tment said it is studying the
automaker's financial situation in ad-
vance of a rulirg on Chrysler's request
for $1 billion in tax relief.
Riccardo and President Lee Iacocca
admitted publicly for the first time
there was a possibility of "reduced
competition in the industry" - a hint of
eventual suspension or heavy cur-
tailment of operations.
THE LOSS was greater than the
$204.6 million in red ink recorded by
Chrysler in all of last year and com-
pared with a profit of $30.5 million in the
second quarter of 1978.
Riccardo said the firm was hit with
two events over which it had no control.
"First, we manage to develop a
gasoline hysteria that's unique to the
United States and that hurts the
markets where we're strongest. And on
top of that, we are now in a recession
that makes all our problems worse.
"YOU COULDN'T write a tougher
scenario for the third largest auto com-
pany. We're in a tough period, but we
intend to make it," Riccardo said.
Riccardo said the company has lob-
bied hard in Washington for an ac-
celerated tax credit scheme which
would give it $1 billion in tax relief in
1979 and 1980.
Riccardo and Iacocca called on
shareholders to press for substantial

government aid, something the United
Auto Workers is already doing.
RICCARDO ADDED the company
also wants to delay federally-mandated
exhaust emission requirements for two
years. Both the tax relief and the
emission control waiver would require
special federal legislation.
Riccardo said government
regulations cost Chrysler $620 per car
compared with $340 per car for General
Motors Corp., which he said is able to
spread mandated costs over larger
production.
Iacocca said the company has not

scrapped plans to spend $1 billion a
year over the next two years to produce
small, fuel-efficient front-wheel drive
cars that are now widely accepted by
the public.
Chrysler, traditionally a leader in
sales of light trucks and recreational
vehicles, saw that market virtually
collapse in the auto industry's long
sales slump spurred by consumer fears
of gasoline availability and price.
In the second quarter, Chrysler's U.S.
car sales were down 23.2 per cent from
last year while truck sales declined 53.8
per cent.

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