Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-01-24
Uniform Motor
Laws for Three
States Framed

l Portland, Jan. "a Reciprocal
license privileges nj Oregon. WASH
ington, Idaho. Montana and Cali
fornia: change in the license year
for motor vehicles in Washington I;
new system of arm signals for
motor car drivers. and a simple but
effective lighting law for state
highways--these were important
recommendations which may ma
terially affect the traffic codes of
the five states involved as a result
of a joint committee meeting of
members of oregon and Washing
ton legislatures in the Benson
hotel.
Few changes were made in the
original draft. The joint meeting,
which was presided over by Repre-
sentative A. NJ. Wright of Oregon,
chairman of the roads committee,
took up the rules of the road and
voted on each provision separately.
The first important change in these
rules came when the system of arm
signals which has become familiar
to every motorist was changed as
follows:
Left turn-Arm extended up
ward, with the vehicle at decreased
speed; right turn: arm out, fore
arm up vertically at right angles to
the upper arm; stop; arm extended,
and moved up and down nj a YER
tical plane.
The next change from the pres
ent rules was to make 1t unlawful
for a motorist to leave his car un-
attended with engine running or so
unsecured by brakes that there was
danger of the car getting in motion
and damaging lives or property.
Speed Limit Remains
In regard to speed, the members
of the committees agreed to leave
the limit at 80 miles an hour. in
spite of the California limit of 35
miles an hour. Three speed limits
were adopted, ~ miles an hour In
cities in the vicinity of schools, 20
miles an hour in towns and cities
and 80 miles per hour on the high
ways of the state.
1t was also agreed that an inter-
val of "a hours might intervene be-
tween the time of an accident and
the time for reporting to a con-
stituted authority.
In regard to equipment, the COM
mittees decided that every motor
vehicle must be provided with two
brakes, acting independently, either
of which must be in such condition
that the speed of the car may be
prudently and carefully controlled
thereby. In the case of motor
cycles, one brake is sufficient.
A test chart requiring a motor
car travelling at a certain speed to
be brought to a stop i'm a certain
number of feet was not agreed up
on, and 1t will probably not be in
cluded in the law when drafted.
The universal lighting law, as
recommended by the general traf-
fic officers committees in Cleve-
land, and substantially the same as
Is now in effect in California, was
adopted by the committee.
Lighting Provisions
This provides for no lights to be
in excess of 4,8OO candIepower.
focused below AZ inches from the
surface of the road at 200 feet.
Mirrors were decided upon as
compulsory equipment on motor
vehicles to insure vision to the
rear, mechanical signaling devices
were recommended as necessary on
cars where an arm signal is i'm
possible and speedomoters were
decided upon as necessary instru-
ments on all motor vehicles except
motor trucks so mechanically gov
erned as to be unable to exceed a
speed of 80 miles an hour. The
provisions regulating pedestrians
on state highways, such as walk
ing and playing, was discussed but
defeated as a recommendation
As the final touch to a day of
persDired effort to frame a law
that would meet with the aDproval
OF legislatures in five states, 1t was
moved by Representative KoreI Of
Oregon that all provisions and
recommendations agreed upon by
the committee be drawn up in de-
tailed form and sent to the proper
committees in the five states af-
feet and that the work of the day
have the approval of the Joint com
mittee. This motion was passed
unanimously.