Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-04-12
FRIDAY, APRIL Ia, 1907.
Vermont Auto m o bile Laws.

The Register desires to put before its
readers. in concise form, the laws which
have been enacted in this State in regard
to automobiles and their use upon public
streets and highways.
The beginning of our legislation upon
this matter may be found in No So of
the acts of the General Assembly of
1864. This Act became Section 1896. of
the Vermont Statutes. 1t provided that
any one running any vehicle propelled
by steam, except road rollers, upon any
public street or highway, except upon
railroad tracks, should send, at least
one-eight of a mile in advance, person
of mature age to notify and warn all
persons travelling with horses or other
domestic animals. At night, except
within corporation limits, such vehicle
was to carry red light. A fine of ten
dollars was the maximum for a violation
of this statute.
This is all there was of the law of
1894, and it remained in force for six
years.
TIE Legislature of 1900, by act No.
81, repealed this section of the Statutes.
1926, and substituted nothing.
The General Assembly of 1902 passed
act No. GA, entitled IAN Act to regulate
the speed and operation of automobiles
and motor vehicles on highways" The
Act consisted of six brief sections which
were, in substance, as follows:
Sec. l. Speed, outside corporation
limits, fire districts and thickly settled
parts of towns, restricted to fifteen miles
an hour; within the same not to exceed
SIX miles an hour.
Sec. 3. Persons in charge of automo-
biles shall so manage them as to exercise
every precaution against frightening
horses. If horse appears frightened the
driver of the automobile shall reduce its
speed, and if requested by the driver of
the horse, by signal or otherwise, shall
stop till the horse is under control.
Sec. 3. At crossings, speed shall be
less than above specified and not be
greater than due regard for traffic will
allow.
Sec. 4. The term "motor vehicles in.
cludes all vehicles propelled by any
power other than ''muscul power" ex.
cept railway cars and motor vehicles on
tracks.
Sec. 5. Violations of this act shall be
punished by fine not exceeding one hun.
dred dollars, or by Imprisonment not tc
exceed fifteen days, or by both.
Sec. q. The act to take effect from its
passage.
By Section IA of No SO of the acts OF
1904, this entire law was repealed.
We have, therefore. as the present
automobile laws No. 81 and No. 1l3 OF
the acts of 1906, together with so mucf
OF No. ~ OF the acts of 1904, as has no
been repealed or changed by No. 1l3 Of
the Acts of 1906.
ACT No. 81 has to do with taxation on
ly, and requires automobiles valued al
more than one hundred dollars to be Sc,
In the list to the owner in the town, vii
lage, school and fire district, where the
owner resides, to be taxed for the exces,
OF such value above one hundred dollars
No. 1l2 of the acts of 1906 comprises
ten sections which are summarized as
follows:
Sec. l. Careless or negligent running
of automobiles is forbidden, and the fact
that an automobile is run at a greater
rate of speed than twenty-fives miles an
hour out lde corporation limits. or more
than ten miles an hour within such limits
shall be prima facie evidence of negli
Rence. This act shall not affect the
rights of city or village officials or OF
selectmen, who may make special regu
lations as to the speed of automobiles
upon narrow or dangerous roads. Such
special regulations are subject to appea
to the State highway commissioner, anC
his decision shall be final. Notice OF
such special regulations must be con
spicuously posted at reasonable dis,
lance from the narrow or dangerou.
place.