Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-12
MANY DEATHS IN TRAFFIC DUE
TO GLARING AUTO HEADLIGHTS
Relentless War Being Waeed by Enact
ments of Regulatory Law for Worst
Menace" Known in Night Driving.

| This law was recently changed SO AS to
/ limit consideration for approval to
/ complete hcadlamps This was done
/ because the use OF approved lenses in
/ connection with the otherwise poorly
/ constructed head lamps resulted In no
/ apparent Improvement on the state
/ highways. and II is practically waste
Of time to approve parts OF head
lamp without approving 1t AS A conf
plete unit.
Conditions in New Jersey.
However, in New Jersey. State Motor
Vehicle Commissioner William l.. Din
takes a somewhat different attitude In
his views on the question. He has been
fighting the menace of glaring lights
vigorously and proposes to redouble his
efforts In safety campaign to be
launched in the early part OF Septem-
Der He believes that the trouble lies
TO A great extent with the automobile
manufacturers and a great portion OF
his fight has been carried on to conf
pei manufacturers to follow closely the
provisions of the New Jersey laws and
regulations. He contends that many
manufacturers fashion their machines
from such cheap materials and con-
struct the cars in such fiinlsy man
ner that the driver of an automobile
Of this type finds IL practically impos-
sible TO keep the headlights OF the
machine in focus for any considerable
time
However. Commissioner Dill's efforts
to make the manufacturers fall III line
and keep to the letter Of the regulations
have brought law suits, instituted by
some of the companies, to restrain him
from putting many Of his orders into
force In other instances where Com
missioner Dill has considered himself
unable to approve various types of
auto headlamps, the manufacturers OF
the latter have brought the matter into
the courts and sought legal redress.
Compared TO Drunken Drivers"
But the commissioner has explained
his strong stand with the statement
that drivers who fail to focus their
headlights properly are as much OF
menace to safe motoring on State
highways as the drunken driver"
Among other steps which he has
taken in his campaign is the issuance
OF firm instructions to motor vehicle
inspectors to arrest all motorists With
improperly adjusted lenses. More than
In New Jersey to ascertain II the head
lamps are properly focused. Under
State regulations Commissioner Dill IL
empowered to pass on lighting equip
ment before the manufacturer can pro-
cure certificate that his devices con.
form with the law Within recent
years the commissioner has placed
ban on spot lights except when the
motcrist seeks to read the street sign
at an intersection or house number.
Fully realizing the peril from glaring
lights. an Official of the American Auto
mobile Association has made the fol-
lowing statement:
we not only regard headlight glare
as almost the worst peril on the high
way for night drivers. but consider that
many more accidents are attributable
directly or indirectly, To it than appear
in statistics. The enforcement of the
Law in respect to the proper adjustment
Of head lamps is of paramount I'm
portance. We consider that as much at
tention should be paid by the authorities
to breaches of regulations concerning
car lighting as is done in the case of
speeding.
Motorists Lack Information.
I'm addition. the motoring public Is
poorly informed on this subject, and II