Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-24
VIRGINIA AUTO LAW
Act Effective June Is Is Like
MaryIand's.
NEW LICENSES EACH YEAR
Fees for Registration of Automo-
biles Charged According to Horse
power of Machines.

| A new automobile law, governing the
| licensing and operating OF motor cars
| in the state OF Virginia. has been signed
by the governor and will be effective June
| Is next. The new act repeats the act %
| March II. 1906. which has been in force
| since that date. The law Is somewhat
similar to the new law OF Maryland.
Owners OF machines on or before tho
LIST or January in each year or before
they shall commence to operate their
/ cars are required to register and obtain
license from the secretary OF state
livery manufacturer. agent dealer I'm
automobiles or motor cycles is also re
| quired to take out license each year.
naming the make of machines handled
and the probable number that will be
disposed Of during the year. For this
| certificate, as it is called. a payment OF
$50 Is demanded. Persons other than
owners OF machines who desire to oper
ate machines for pay must first take out
chauffeur's license, at the same time
lsecuring badge, which is to be worn AT
all times While operating in the state \
| charge OF $3.50 is made for this license
Inc cerulcates of registration and
incense or owner Of automobiles, dealers
| manufacturers or owners OF motor cycles
| terminate on the 31st day OF December
OF the year for which they are issued
| number plate is delivered to the ami
cant. with the number assigned naipted
| III Arabic numerals, not less than four
inches IN height, followed by the words
| va and In figures the year for which
IL Is issued. The plate must ALWAYS he
IN eVloenc on the rear Of the machine
The Fees Required.
The fee for the certificate of registration
ana license and plate to be paid by the
owner is as follows: Twenty horsepower
or less. 50; IL over twenty horsepower and
under forty-f1ve horsepower, SO: and IL
forty-fve horsepower or over So The
| horsepower Is to be determined by the
rating given by the manufacturer, and il
more than one rating the highest is to he
taken for the purpose of this act. The
| Zee Tor motorcycles is 50. Should the
| owner of a motor car part with his ma
| chine during the year he is to immediately
notify the secretary of state of such sale
| and return to him the certificate and H.
| cense: Should the owner dispose of his
machine and purchase another during that
year the secretary will transfer the old
| number to the new machine on the paw
ment Of 81. 1t is unlawful for a person
| to attach or use plate or number on a
machine for which it was not issued
| The operator of a machine is not Ia
drive in the corporate limits Of any city or
| Town at greater rate of speed than
local ordinances of such cities or towns
provide otherwise. Outside Of the corpor-
! ate limits speed OF twenty miles an hour
is permitted, except going around curves
| down sharp declines or at the intersection
| or any crossroads and in passing yehi-
Giles, when rate Of speed not exceeding
| eight miles an hour must be observed
| The speed Is eight miles an hour where a
street or highway passes the built-up por-
tons or city, town or village. The same
speed must be maintained when the road
is not plainly visible for a distance Of 500
feet ahead.
Must Keep Sharp Lookout.
The owner, operator driver or oc-
cupant of motor car is also required to
keep a careful lookout ahead for the ap-
proach OF horseback riders or vehicles
drawn by horses or other animals and
to slow UP, keeping his machine under
| control, and IL signa1ed to do so must
| bring the machine and its engine to a
| full stop. In addition, IL requested so TO
do, he must lead the horse or horses past
! his machine. Should horse coming in
| the opposite direction give evidence of
fright the machine is to be stopped as If
| signaled to do SO.
In overtaking team the operator of a
| machine is required to slow down, and If
| the vehicle should come to stop. then
| the operator should reduce the speed of
his machine to eight miles an hour.
Machines are to be provided with lock,
| good and sufficient brakes, with bell, horn
| or other signal device.
| Every machine is to have displayed
| from one hour after sunset to one hour
before sunrise al least one white light
| throwing bright light at least 100 feet
| in the front and is to exhibit on the
rear Of the machine one red light. which
| shall effectually illuminate the number
| tag in the rear. The penalties imposed
for violation of any section of the act is
for each offense not less than SO fine
/ Imprisonment from five to thirty days
An appeal may be taken to the circuit
court of the county, or corporation, in
cordance with the general law govern
| ing appeals in misdemeanor cases
Immediate Registration.
All owners whose machines have been
registered In the Office of the secretary
under the act of March II, 1906. since
| January l. 1910. are required TO register
| their machines when this act becomes
effective and to pay the fee required by
| this act, less the fee already paid, and
| shall retain their present number plates
Machines registered prior to January l,
1910, are as soon as the law becomes eff
| fective TO register their machines for the
| year 1910 and pay the fee required by this
act. All fees collected after the payment
| of the necessary expenses incident TO the
| cost OF purchasing number plates and
other expenses are to be paid into the
| state treasury, to constitute a special
| fund to be expended under the direction
of the state highway commissioner in the
permanent improvement of main high
ways in the state of Virginia.
The same privilege is granted local
| motorists as is granted by the state OF
Maryland, which is to the effect that
any owner or operator not a resident of
Virginia who shall have complied with
the laws OF the state in which he resides
and displays his registration numbers and
none others, may use the highways of
the state not exceeding two periods of
seven consecutive days in each calendar
year.