Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-16
HEADLIGHT LAW
NOT CONFUSING
Requirements Plainly Stated
in Law Now in
Effect

The new motor law, especially the
clause pertaining to headlights-in
fact lights on all vehicles-should
not be confusing to any one who
reads the clause carefully. There
are certain requirements in this
law. such as dimming lights when
another vehicle is approaching you,
diffusion of rays, amount OF candle
power permitted, height from
ground that rays should carry, spot
light requirement and so on. Thls
law went into effect July l but has
not been rigidly enforced until the
present time, but it is understood
that the Highway Department in
tends making violators pay a pretty
stiff penalty from to-day on, mas
much as they have now had plenty
of time to equip their car with the
proper kind of lense and to be thor
oughly familiar with the require
ments of the law.
There has been no particular lense
designated to be used, there being
several now on the market that
meets every requirement. 1t is pos
sitively forbidden to carry any other
than a white light on the front
Yellow lights and other colors must
be done away with.
Spotlights are permitted but they
too, must not throw the ray more
than AZ inches above the ground
at distance of rs feet ahead OF the
car and must not be used to lllu-
inmate the left side of the road.
Every vehicle must show a light
when on the highways at night
whether moving or standing. Thls
includes wagons as well as motor
vehicles. The clause pertaining to
lights, carried in the new motor We
hicle law follows
Every motor vehicle on the pub
lie highways shall, from one hour
after sunset until one hour before
sunrise, or whenever it is Impossible
to see clearly for a distance of two
hundred (200) feet, show at least
two lights of approximately equal
power on the front of such Vehlcle
that shall be clearly visible for
distance of two hundred (2OO) teet:
Provided, that motorcycles to which
no sidecar is attached need display
only one such light; but no brilliant
light shall be displayed on any mo-
tor vehicle standing on the lefthand
side of the highway.
Every motor vehicle equipped
with and using electric nght OF
lights of more than four (4) candle
power not equipped with perma-
nent DETECTING or diffusing device,
upon any of the public highways OF
this State, shall be provided ana
equipped with some practical ana
efficient device or devices whereby
the forward lights of such vehicle
may be dimmed or lessened at the
will of the operator to such an eX-
tent that such electric light or the
reflection therefrom through said
forward lights will not Interfere
with the sight of, nor temporarily
blind the vision of, the driver OF an
approaching vehicle, and 1T shall be
the duty of every operator of such
motor vehicle equipped with and
using electric lights upon the public
highways of this State to effectually
apply such DINNER to the forward
lights of the vehicle operated by
him or her, and cause such lights
to be dimmed and lessened so as
not to interfere with the sight or
temporarily blind the vision of the
operator of any approaching We
hicle.
Every motor vehicle, including
motorcycles, shall also, whether
standing or in motion, display one
red light on the rear thereof, and,
if a trailer be attached to such mo-
tor vehicle or another motor vehicle
is being towed so as to obscure such
red light, then a red light shall be
displayed on the rear of such We
hicle or such trailer.
"The registration plate on the rear
of every motor vehicle, including
motorcycles and trailer, shall also
be clearly illuminated during the
same period.
whenever there is not sufficient
| light within the limits of the high
way to clearly reveal persons, We
| hjcles, or substantial objects at a
distance of two hundred (200) feet,
the front lights shall, when the We
hicle is is motion, clearly illuminate
! the Rad for a distance of at least
| two hundred (200) feet in front of
such vehicle, and for five (5) feet
| to the right of such vehicle at a
point twenty (20) feet in front of
| the lamps.
mo lights of more than thirty
two 1929 candlepower shall be used
on any motor vehicle, and all lights
in excess of four (4) candlepower
equipped with reflectors shall be so
! arranged, designed, diffused, or de-
| f1ected that no dazzling rays of light
shall at a point seventy-five (75)
| feet or more ahead of the lamps,
rise more than forty-two (42)
inches above the level surface on
which the vehicle stands.
| "All additional or supplemental
lights, including movable spot lights
or searchlights, shall fully comply
with these restrictions, and the rays
of light from any such searchlight
or spot light shall at no time extend
to the left of the center of the high
| way.
mo red light shall be displayed
on the front of any motor vehicle.
THE State Highway Commits
sioner may, after proper road and
| laboratory tests, approve certain
| devices for controlling the front
! lights on motor vehicles so that they
| shall comply with the provisions of
this section, upon the payment of
such fees as he may deem neces-
/ sary to cover the actual cost of
such tests, not to exceed the sum of
| fifty ($50) dollars, and may issue a
| certificate to the applicant. describ-
! ing the device and certifying that
such tests have been made, and that
! the device when properly applied
| complies with the requirements of