The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-06-20
SAVE-A-LIFE
CAMPAIGN
Official Details Announced by
E. Austin Baughman, Com
missioner of Motor
Vehicles

SOOetJ Ny II. kauStlu oduRu.
man, Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
Under the provisions of Chapter 257
OF the Acts of the General Assembly
of Maryland as enacted at the Session
OF 1929, the Commissioner of Motor
Vehicles is authorized to require an
inspection of the safety factors of all
motor vehicles in the State. The in.
spection of motor vehicles shall con-
sist of brakes, lights, horns, steering
mechanism, windshield wipers, rear
view mirrors, obscure license tags and
operators licenses.
The official inspection will be entire
~ free of charge due to the co-opera-
ton of garages, car dealers, repair
shops and service stations in every
community of the State, which have
indicated their willingness to serve as
official State inspection stations and
make the required examination with
out any charge to the owner the State
or community.
Every leading motor organization,
commercial and civic bodies, insur-
try and railroads have expressed their
willingness to cooperate in the Save.
Allie movement.
The new law is being put on in the
form of the Save-A-Life Campaign and
really is an intensive effort to cut
down the accident rate in Maryland
and to make the State a model in this
respect. The Campaign is directed
solely against reckless driving and
the mechanical defects that are apt
to develop in the safety factors in cars
and trucks under service conditions,
because such defects are one of the
leading causes of motor accidents. 1t
Is the belief of automobile authorities
throughout the United States that if
all motor vehicles could be quickly
and easily controlled by their drivers
the accident rate would rapidly dimin-
ish. "The Save-A-Life Campaign is a
national movement in this direction
and Maryland should take leading
role" the Commissioner said.
The official method of the Campaign
anu VI tllC 1AoPCSllOh oSSOlulhS W Lu0
law will be as follows:
/. Every automobile and truck in
the State to be inspected by q COM
petent mechanic in reliable service
station to be designated and appointed
with approval of the Motor Vehicle
Department, and If the car or truck
Is found unsafe or to have mechanical
defects it must be put into safe con.
dition before an official inspection tag
will be issued to the owner.
2. Official inspection stickers will
be issued to all cars and trucks that
have been examined and found to be
in good condition, or that have been
put into good condition after being
examined and found to need adjust
ment
3. In order to remove any possible
cause for resentment, inconvenience,
hardship or loss of time on the part of
the automobile or truck owner, this
inspection will be made absolutely
free Of charge at official inspection
stations, and the vehicle owner is at
1lUSl ~ " SlOOoS any SldllOu u6
prefers.
4. Any adjustment or repair found
necessary to insure safe operation
may, at the owners order and with
his permission, be charged for at the
usual rate of charge for such mechan.
ical service by the station. Any
agreement in this connection is solely
between the vehicle owner and the
inspection station
5. Brakes, horns, lights, steering
mechanism and mirrors will be the
chief points of inspection.
6. Brakes will be tested as follows:
rwo-wheel brakes car going 20 miles
per hour must stop in so feet. Four
wheel brakes car going 20 miles per
lour must stop in IS feet. Emergency
brakes car going 20 miles per hour
must stop in rs feet. Trucks over
hree tons going 20 miles per hour
must stop in rs feet by foot brake.
In case brake testing machine is
used the equivalent Of above is re-
luired.
z. Horns shall be tested by press.
Ing the horn button and determining
whether the signal is prompt and
gives sufficient warning.
8. Lights shall be tested as fol-
lows: Bulbs in headlights shall be
checked for conformity to State law.
Bulbs showing signs Of blackening
or whitish discoloration inside the
glass are insufficient and should be
discarded. All bulbs which are
burned out or missing must be re-
placed. Lights must have proper lens
and the reflector must be bright. All
, tail lamps must have a red lens.
8. Steering mechanisms must be
examined In all their wearing parts.
These wearing parts must appear to
be sufficiently strong to avoid any
possibility of breaking under ordi-
nary conditions, thus causing an &C.
cident.
10. Windshield wipers if auto.
matte or electric) must operate sufl-
GENTLY to give clear vision at all
times; (if manuaI the rubber
''sweeps" shall be in such condition
as to clear the glass properly.
II. Truck mirrors are to be in
spected to make sure that they are
'lch condition and so placed as to