Evening star., 1925-04-08
AUT0LAW TO OCALL
FOR BRIGHT LIGHTS
PROPERLY FOCUSED
Dimming to Be Banned Ex-
cept on Few Streets Un-
der New Ruling.
POLICE TO TAKE COURSE
AT STANDARDS BUREAU
Will Be Trained to Make Tests OF
Lamps-Tail-lamp Regulation
.t. Is Outlined.

Bright lights, properly focused so
as not to be binding. will be required
on all automobiles when new head
light regulations now being drafted
by Traffic Director Eldridge are
adopted.
Dimming of lights will not be, per
mitted except on streets where there
is sufficient illumination TO enable
the driver to distinguish an object
200 feet away.
These and other features of the
proposed headlight law are being
gone over by Mr.. Eldridge and his
engineering assistant. Col. l. c. Moller,
preparatory to submitting recon-
mendations to the Commissioners.
New Rules Outlined.
Col. Moller said today the new
headlight regulations Will be based
on findings of the Bureau of Stand
ards after careful investigation and
will be In general harmony with the
requirements in nearby Eastern
States. The new rules for lights, as
tentatively outlined today, are:
All automobiles will be required to
have lights that will show up an
object 200 feet in advance.
Machines must have two such
lamps not exceeding 81 candlepower
In strength. and must be so arranged
that no part OF the beam VIII be
ABOVE horizontal plane passed
through the center of the light
Green or red lights will not be per-
mltted on the front OF an automobile
Rear lights must be ample to per
init reading of the number plate SO
feet away.
DfMminK Is Barred.
Dimming OF headlights will NOT he
permitted except where a street is
bright enough to enable the driver to
see an object 200 feet away. Oficials
In the traff1c office say there are few
streets where dimming would be pos
sible under this requirement
A motor cycle must have one head
light complying with the same re-
quirements fixed for the automobile
headlights. and one rear light. II a
motor cycle has a side-car. that car
must carry a white light visible 500
feet away.
bicycles viii be required to have a
white light visible zoo feet away
Horse drawn vehicles must carry one
white light on the left side, visible
for 200 feet to the front or rear. II
a horse drawn vehicle carries pas
sengers for hire it must display two
front lamps.
Parking Lights Unchanxed.
No change will be made In the
parking light regulation.
Col. Moller said today 1t probably
will be necessary for a considerable
number of motorists to change or
readjust their present lights to COM
ply with the new code, and for that
reason 1t is planned to recommend
to the Commissioners that two or
three months of grace be allowed be-
fore the new headlight requirements
are strictly enforced.
AS in the case of brake testing, 1t
is planned to have several policemen
trained at the Bureau of Standards in
headlight testing to take the lead in
enforcing the new rules.
Col. Moller said that under the new
regulation 1t will be simple for mo-
torist to determine whether his lights
are focused properly by measuring
with a yardstick the distance from
the ground to the center of the light
and then placing a mark at the same
height on a wall or garage door. The
light, he said, should not strike above
the mark on the wall.