The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-04-12
Laws Relating to Motor Vehicles Pass.
ed by the General Assembly.

This bill was prepared in advance of
the season by the Attorney General 5
Office at the instance Of Commissioner
of Motor Vehicles Baughman and was
introduced early in the session by
Senator Warfield, of Carroll county,
Changes of more or less moment were
made in practically every section of the
existing law.
Among the more important of these
changes were provisions for increasing
the number of motorcycle deputies
from to 10; requiring the funds col
lected by the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles to be tnrned over to the State
Roads Commission quarterly instead of
annually as heretofore; requiring the
examination of motor vehicle operators
hereafter licensed; reducing the per-
missible rate Of speed in the case of
sOlid-tired motor vehicles aud ruling
off the road al 5lG4 ia excess of five
tons carrying capacity not heretofore
owned aud registered in this State; fix
ing absolute speed limits of Is miles an
hour in thickly settled parts of cities.
towns and villages and 90 miles an
horr in outlying sections thereof; re-
ducing the time for appeals fir m con.
victions in motor vehicle cases from 30
days to 10 days, creating traffic court
with exclusive Jurisdiction in Baltimore
city over all violations of the motor
vehicle laws and concurrent jurisdic-
ton with other justices of the peace
outside Of Baltimore city where it is
convenient for the accused to have
complaints tried in Baltimore city; in
creasing fees chargeable by justices of
the peace in motor vehicle cases from
70 cents co 81. 45 in cases not contested,
with further provision prob biting
speed traps unless maintained by re-
representatives. of the Commissioner of
Motor Vehicles.
Among other changes of scarcely less
importance were those providing for
minimum fines of s. or S. in cases
where the minimum fine has heretofore
been 81; and raising the maximum fine
in some cases from $50 to 500, and in
other cases from 500 to $1,000, with
Jail sentences in some instances.
Many of these fines are made appli-
cable by the new law to the owners of
motor vehicles who cause or permit the
the same to be operated in violation of
the provisio1s of the law Any person
whose license to operate has been re-
fused, suspended or revoked and there
after operates such motor vehicle is
liable to fine of from 500 $1,000 and
in addition to Imprisonment for not less
than 80 days nor more than one year
Similar penalties are provided in the
Case of persons operating motor vehicles
at a speed in excess of 60 milea an
hour, in the case of those failing to
stop and render assistance after acct
dents and in the case of those operat-
ing motor vehicle when intoxicated
or under the influence of liquor.
Any person. operating motor vehicle
without authority of the owner is sub
ject to fine of from $25 to 500, or
Imprisonment for not less than 80 days
nor more than one year for the first
offense. Passing motor vehicle while
the motor vehicle ahead is crossing an
intersecting highway is punishable by
a fine or from So to S25, aud failing to
slow down at curves, crossings and
tops of hills, or to come to stop five
feet in the rear of a street car which
has stopped to take on or discharge
passengers is punishable by a fine of
from $40 to 800 for the first offense.
Double these penalties are provided in
cases of second or subsequent offenses.
All these changes except that relating
to the traffic court go into effect April
l, the traffic court provision becoming
affective June 1.
Beginning April /, the registration
fees for pneumatic-tired motor vehicles
are increased from 80 cents to 60 cents
a horse power.
In the case of motor vehicles equipped
with two or more solid tires the regis
tration fees on and after A pril l are as
follows: One ton, $50; two-ton, $40;
three-ton, $50; four-ton, 500; live-toD,
$50; six-ton, $500; seven ton, $500.
In addition, the fees for traiters have
been increased to Tie following figures:
One-top, SO; two-tUn, $50; direction,
$50; four-tou, so; tiVe-ton, $50; six
ton, Sl1O; scven-ton, $3.50 Also the
fees on motorcycles have been iucreas