Evening star., 1924-12-12
.RULESSUGGESTED
FOR MOTOR SAFETY
Committee Tells Hoover
CareIessness Must Be
Curbed.

Lack of care on the part of owners
OF automobiles causes vehicles of safe
design and construction to be oper-
ated in an unsafe condition. a condi-
ton which can be corrected only by
directing the attention of each vehicle
owner and operator to his responsi-
biiity toward himself and other users
OF the highway" the committee on
motor vehicles of the National Con-
ference on Street and Highway
Safety reported today to Secretary
Hoover. There is room, the commit
tee believes, for improvement in de-
sign and construction which will
further reduce accidents due to me
chanical causes.
Recommendations of the committee
deal with controls, brakes, steering
gear, driver vision, lights. signals.
bumpers and legislation. Outstanding
among the recommendations are: De-
sign OF motor vehicles SO as to per-
init brakfng with the engine on Sc
we're grades without injury to the
mechanical parts; service brakes
should be so constructed as to permit
simple and safe adjustments by the
operator throughout the life of the
wearing parts; ratchets OF hand
brakes the committee said. should be
designed for greater durability and
certainty of operation, and design
and construction should prevent un-
intended fabrication from reaching
the braking surfaces.
Pedal Construction Important.
The engine accelerator pedal
should be located sufficiently far from
the brake pedal to minimize the dan
ger OF applying the accelerator when
intending to actuate the foot brake.
The brake pedal should be SO con-
structed as to minimize the danger
OF the foot Of the driver slipping
from 1t. In vehicles in which acceI-
orator and brake pedals are intended
to be operated by the same foot, the
movement of the foot from acceIera
tor to brake should be as easy and
direct as possible.
Body design should be carried out
with due regard to the necessity of
reducing 10 the minimum the shut off
area OF driver vision.
Some device for cleaning the wind
shield from rain and snow that can
De conveniently operated by the
driver should be available for use
when windshields cannot be kept
open or clear vision secured bv
other means.
Present lighting regulations should
be more rigidly enforced as a neces
sary beginning in arriving at any
improved. night driving condition on
the highways. Study of proper road
illumination should be given imne-
date further considerat ton to deter
mine whether 1T may not be possible
to improve the regulations now in
force.
Suggest Lighting Standards.
Clear red should be used for tail
lights and the rear aspect of parking
lights. and its use should be pro
hibited for any other exterior light
SO located as to possibly be mistaken
for a tail light or parking light
Clear yellow should be used for
stop lights and a maximum per
missible intensity for such stop lights
should be established. The use of COL
ored lights tending in any way to
confuse the meaning of the CUSTOMARY
safety lights should be prohibited.
The, location of spotlights should b.
limited to the right of the vertical
center line of the vehicle.
Vehicles SO designed as to pre-
vent the driver making proper hand
driving signals should be equipped
with some simple form OF mechanical
signal to give the necessary indica-
tions.
When bumpers are used, the height
of the center line above the road
should be standardized so far as con
ditions will permit.
The overall width of body and
load of any motor vehicle should b.
limited to 96 inches. .-