New-York tribune., 1910-07-31
AUTO LAW PROVISIONS
The CaiIan Bill Becomes Effec.
tive Tomorrow.
MAKES MOTORING SAFER
Deals Severely with Chauffeur
Who Tries to Escape After
Iniuring Pedestrian.

OF the Legislature regulating the use OF
automobiles in the State Of New York be-
comes a law tomorrow
Its most important provisions follow:
Each owner must register his car with
the Secretary OF State. His fees for regis
iration depend on the number OF horse
power at which his motor is rated
No person under eighteen years old is
allowed TO operate 4 car. When the car
has been registered the owner VIII receive
from the Secretary OF State two number
plates These ne must affiX to his car SO
that they Will BE- stationary and not swing
and they must be shown at all times. HIS
registration is good for one year and must
be annually renewed The fees Cor regis
tration Of private owners take the place OF
taxes and no taxes will be levied on own
ers' cars.
When a purchaser buys car he is al
lowed to operate It for fifteen days or until
he receives number plates from the Secre-
tary of State, provided that during that
period the car shall carry the numoer
which has been previously issued 10 the
dealer.
The number plate must be at least six
inches wide and fifteen inches long and the
numerals must be at least four inches high
which applies to all their cars. and this IS
TO pe used till the car is sold TO 4 private
owner.
The section regarding NONRESIDENT own
ers follows:
THE nroyisions shall not apply 10
q motor vehicle owned by a nonresident Of
this state other than foreign corpora
ZION doing business in this state, provided
that the owner thereof shall have compiled
with the provisions Of the law OF the Tor
etgn country. state, territory or federal dis
tricr of his residence relative 10 reSistra-
tion of motor vehicles and the display o.
registration numbers thereon and shall con-
spicuously display his registration num-
bers as required thereby. The provisions
OF this section, however, shall be operative
as TO a motor vehicle owned by non-resl-
dent OF this state only TO the extent thaf
under the laws of the foreign country,
state Territory or federal district Of his
residence like exemptions and privileges
are granted to motor vehicles duly regis
tered under the laws of and owned by the
residents of this state.
All chauffeurs must be licensed The
chauffeur must apply to the Secretary OF
State for such q license. The application
must be accompanied by two photographs
OF the applicant taken within thirty days
OF the time OF filing the application. The
chauffeur must then pass an examination
as 10 his fitness TO run a motor vehicle,
undergoing road tests if thought necessary
bv the examiner He must carry at all
times card with his license number and
his photograph corresponding to the photo
graph filed with the application at Albany
He must also display at all times when
& =
the Secretary of State. Licenses granted
now are good till January l. The fee is
s. So. They must then be renewed for one
year, when the fee will be IS.
No unlicensed chauffeur will be allowed
to operate motor vehicles after tomorrow
A chauffeur who has registered under the
law of his place Of residence is exempt,
however, if the requirements of that place
are Substantially equivalent to the pro-
visions of the new law for this state He
must wear the badge assigned TO him in
his place OF residence. If the sections of
the law regarding registration, age, regis
tration plates, registration by dealers, or
re-registration are violated the punishment
is a fine of so.
Violations OF the speed provision Is pun
ishable with fine OF S10a This section
says: Every person operating a motor
shall drive the same in a careful and
prudent manner and at a rate of speed SO
not TO endanger the property of another
or the life and limb Of any person; pro-
vided, that a rate Of speed in excess Of
thirty miles an hour for the distance of
one-fourth of mile shall be presumptive
evidence Of driving at rate of speed which
is not careful or prudent
Local speed ordinances are prohibited,
hat la Ia mot
provisions already IN force in cities of the
first class, and local authorities may limit
by ordinance the speed OF motor vehicles,
such speed limitations not TO be in any
case less than one mile in four minutes.
Whoever operates a motor vehicle while
intoxicated may be fined $50 SI00 Any
person operating a car which has caused
injury 10 person or property and tries to
escape without giving aid and information
concerning himself may be punished with
fine OF not more than 500 or imprison-
men: of not more than Iwo years. a sec
ond offence may send the chauffeur TO Jail
for not less than one nor more than five
wears. a third offence revokes his license.
The provisions Of the law regarding
chauHeurS have created q great deal Of in
terest and excitement among the driving
fraternity. For several weeks Chief E,x-
auiner Frederick II. Elliott has been hold
ing daily examinations, and these will
probably continue for some days yet, as
all the chauffeurs have no, been examined
by any means.
The law is generally regarded as q tust
and adequate enactment. Il has offered
some problems which the Attorney General
Will settle. They are all minor matters
however, and the general opinion among
motorists is that operating a motor car in
New York State Will be hereafter safer
both 10 the occupants and the pedestrian
than ever before