The sun., 1917-07-01
CONDITIONS OF THE
NEW HEADLIGHT LAW
Provisions Will Become Effec-
tive on First Day Of
August.

Following close on the Cromwell
Kelly bill requiring the licensing of all
owners who drive in Greater New York
from now on comes the Hewitt anti
glare headlight bill. effective August 1,
intended as a measure to eliminate the
dazzling glare as far as possible, and
statewide in its scope. In Its wording
the law makes II mandatory that at 76
feet ahead OF an automobile the beam
Of light shall not be more than ~ inches
above the rondbed on and after August
I, yet that the front lamps shall be OF
sufficient intensity to clearly reveal
person or object $50 feet ahead. Lights
coming within the requirements OF the
new law must be of a type that shall
diffuse light so that objects 10 feet to
either side OF car are clearly dis
tlnguishable
The exact wording of the new law
follows: THE light of the front lamps
shall be visible at least 200 feet in the
direction in which the motor vehicle Is
proceeding and shall give sufficient light
90 reveal any person, vehicle or sub
ptantial object on the road straight
ahead OF such motor vehicle for a dis
tance OF at least $50 feet The front
lights shall be so arranged that no por-
don OF the beam OF the reflected light
projected to the left Of the axis Of the
vehicle when MEASURE 75 feet or moro
ahead of the lamps shall rise about ~
inches on the level surface on which the
vehicle stands. They shall also give
sufficient side Humiliation to reveal any
person. vehicle substantial object 10
feet to both sides Of said vehicle at
point 10 feet ahead of the lamps. The
term beam of lights as used in the
above provision shall be construed as
meaning the approximately parallel.
localized rays gathered and projected by
reflector, lens or other device. II, in
addition % headlights. any motor vehicle
is equipped with any auxiliary light,
projecting device or devices. other than
a rear lamp. such auxiliary lights shall
be subject to all the restrictions of this
section segarding direction of the beam"
The law does not confer upon any
person or department the authority to
approve of any anti-glare devices, in
fact 1t makes no mention OF such de-
vices, apparently leaving It optional with
the driver to select any headlight he
wishes SO long as the beam meets with
the distance requirements In New Jer-
sey the headlight laws are more ex-
plicit A list OF about thirty approved
anti-glare devices IL furnished In New
Jersey the beam of light Is permitted to
rise flfty-four inches above the road
bed. New Jersey does not allow amber
lights on the ground that It is an easy
matter to confuse them with lights
placed by municipalities at excavations,
street intersections or railroada
There are no records available giving
the number of accidents which are the
direct result of glaring headlights, yet
It Is commonly known that the number
ID large, although frequently attended
by nothing more serious than O partial
demolishment Of the participating cars,
In which the owner of one Is very fire.
quently the innocent party. Ono Of the
division engineers f. the State Highway
Department investigated all the accidents
last year which occurred in his district
Eight out OF fifty were directly due to
glaring headlightS
The present law will probably be SUD-
plemented next year by q broader one
which will be modelled possibly after
New Jerseys. In all probability the
present Cromwell-Kelly bill viii be
broadened out for there IL a strong
sentiment that owners as well as chauf-
feurs should be forced to take q State
examination which viii reveal their At
ness to handle a car
New York city motorists are now be-
Ing licensed by Secretary Of State
Francis NJ Hugo at the rate OF ahont
10000 day. Some delay occurred IN
getting the entire supply Of blank ap-
plications. These have all been sent out
ana are now being received back from
the owners by thousands each day. II Is
expected that ths entire business of IL
censing the owners win be compIeted
during the week.