Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
AUTO LAW PLANNED
IN EMPIRE STATE
Bills to Regulate Operation of
Vehicles Submitted to
the Legislature.
FRAMED BY COMMITTEE
AND ACTION REQUESTED
Substitute For and Amendment Of
Existing Observation-Disclosures
Explained in Detail.

The New York motor vehicle legislation
committee has presented a report to the
legislature recommending that no action
be taken upon previous report adopted
by 1t in conjunction with the commissions
from seven other states in the effort to
frame uniform automobile law, and sub
mfts two bills to govern the operation of
vehicles upon the highways of the Empire
state. These bills, which do away to a
great degree with the bulk and COM
plexity of the present law, are now upon
their third reading. and may be re-
ported this week.
The text of one of them. in full, will be
found below. The context of the other is
sufficiently explained by the report. of
the commission, composed of Samuel w.
Taylor chairman: Fay c. Parsons and
A. ]. Deer, which is, in part, as follows:
''Of the two bills handed to you here
with, one constitutes a general motor
vehicle law and the other an amendment
to the highways act.
Taking up, first, the motor vehicle
law: Its requirements are, in brief, the
registration of all motor vehicles, includ-
ing motor cycles: the carrying of registra-
ton numbers and payment of a regstra-
ton fee of 81 for each motor vehicle reg
istered, excepting in the case of duplicate
numbers for manufacturers and dealers.
The provisions as to the registration of
motor vehicles are somewhat simplified,
and the registration fees are placed at
the fiat rate of 81 per annum. This figure
is calculated to cover the necessary en-
pense of the motor vehicle bureau.
Regarded as Unjust.
I'm oar opinion, the exaction of a tax
in. the form of registration or license
faa hit
state than is reasonably necessary to
cover such expense, is an unjust and i'm
proper exaction upon one type of vehi-
Gle. We firmly believe that the present
system Of eXempting motor vehicles from
taxation as personal property Off
set to the imposition of revenue-raising
registration fees should be abandoned.
We dc not deem it our duty to Investigate
the exact effect which the adoption of our
recommendations would have upon the
revenues of the state. but submit that the
owners of the 1Jo.0O0-odd motor vehicles
registered in the state pay to the state a
large proportion of its revenue, in any
event, through general taxation.
I'VE believe that by requiring that all
motor vehicles shall be operated with due
regard for the safety of person and prop
erty under all circumstances, the proposed
law gives the greatest latitude to the en-
forcer of the Law to regard any reckless
act, no matter how trivial, as a breach
of the statute. Under the proposed law
the motorist who drives his machine
through a crowded school street at four
miles an hour and thus endangers the
lives of children would commit breach
of the proposed act to the same extent as
the motorist who drives his car at sixty
miles an hour. The proposed law does
not, by stating fixed speeds at which mo-
tor vehicles may proceed in cities, towns,
villages, or in the open country, i'm
pliedly grant that such speeds are reason
able and proper, when, as a matter OF
fact. such speeds may. under certain cir
cumstances. be maintained only by those
who are reckless and who have no regard
for the safety of others.
Limitation of Speed Discussed.
To attempt by statute to determine just
at what speed motor vehicle may pro-
coed with safety to others. under varying
tile. 1t is a matter OF common knowl-
edge that, despite our present statutes
and ordinances. local authorities have ar
bitrarily graded the speeds allowed to
motor vehicles at various places to suit
more nearly the actual conditions.
Having provided in the broadcast
language possible for the careful opera
ton of motor vehicles upon the high
ways so that every reckless or negligent
act will be a breach of the act, your
commission has made provision in the
ment Of the law by providing that every
breach shall be considered a misdeamean-
or, punishable by a fine up to $500 or
Imprisonment up to one year. or both;