Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-06-21
SAVE-A-LIFE
CAMPAIGN
Official Details Announced by
e. Austin Baughman, Com
missioner of Motor
Vehicles

Official details of the Save.AIjfe
Campaign and mechanical inspection
OF all automobiles and trucks in this
State from June Is to July Is, inclu.
siVe' Just announced by proclamation
OF Governor Albert c. Richie, were
announced today by E. Austin Baugh.
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.
ly 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.
ance companies, moving picture indus.
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 IL
all motor vehicles could be quickly
and easily controlled by their drivers
the accident rate would rapidly dimin.
lsh. "The Save.A-Life Campaign is
national movement in this direction
and Maryland should take leading
role" the Commissioner said.
The official method Of the Campaign
and Of the inspection according to the
law will be as follows;
1. Every automobile and truck in
the State to be inspected by a com.
petent mechanic in a reliable service
station to be designated and appointed
with approval Of the Motor Vehicle
Department, and II 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
Q. 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 al
liberty to choose any official station he
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 Ahe vehicle owner and the
inspection station
s. Brakes, horns. lights, steering
mechanism and mirrors will be the
lief points Of inspection
6. Brakes will be tested as follows:
Two wheel brakes car going 20 miles
per hour must stop In so feet Four
wheel brakes car going 20 miles per
hour must stop In IS feet. Emergency
brakes car going 20 miles per hour
must stop In rs feet Trucks over
three tons going 20 miles per hour
must stop In rs feet by foot brake
In case a brake testing machine Is
used the equivalent Of above Is re
Iuired.
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 blackenine
or a whItish dlscoloration 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. AL
tail lamps must have a red lens.
Q. Steering mechanisms must bC
| examined In all their wearing parts
These wearing parts must appear Il
be sufficiently strong to avoid any
possibility of breaking under ordi
nary conditions, thus causing an &C
cident.
10. Windshield wipers III auto
matte or electrlc) must operate stuff
clently to give clear vision at al
times: III manuaD 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
In such condition and so placed as tt
give good rear visibility.
IL. Operator must show operators
| license.
The cooperation OF the motoring
public is earnestly requested to make
the Save Allie Campaign a great
success, and In the interest OF public
safety every car and truck In Mary
land should be wearing its Official In
spectlon emblem of civic cooperation
ard mechanical good order by July IL
when the Campaign ends.