Evening star., 1938-06-05
TRAFF|CCHANCES
IN EFFECT JUNE q
Virginia Increases Limit of
Speed to SIS M.PH. in
New Regulations.

Drastic changes in Virginia's trafic
regulations, including an increased
speed limit to IS miles per hour and
abolition of the unsatisfactory reck-
less driving law, are due to 60 into
effect June 81, A. J. Lucas, Virginia
State police examiner for Arlington
and Fairfax Counties and Alexandria.
said yesterday.
Punishment for exceeding the limits.
which are to 60 into effect, have been
lightened. Persons found guilty Of
speeding shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor and subject to a fine of S.
to 500 or to 10 day sentence for
the first offense. Under the old law
now in effect, which sets the speed
limit at IS miles per hour, persons
found guilty of speeding are guilty
Of reckless driving with punishment
set at $40 to $l00 fines or l to 80 days
in Jail.
Under the new law also, Mr.. Lucas
explained, second offense speeders'
punishment is set at $40 to 5000 fines
or ! to 20 days imprisonment. The
present second-offense reckless driver
receives $50 to $500 fine or a sem
tence of from 10 days to months
with q mandatory jail sentence of 10
days and mandatory suspension OF
the operators permit for one year.
Stricter Enforcement.
Reckless driving charges still re-
main within the trafic regulations.
however. Mr.. Lucas warned, and the
loosening of the law as to speed and
punishment will be responsible for
even stricter enforcement by State DO
lice, he said.
A principal reason for the present
reckless driving laws change by the
State Legislature this spring was the
mandatory suspension of driving per-
mits for year State policemen who
are attending the Virginia State Po-
lice Training School are being told
that the Governor had requested the
change because he is the only person
authorized to restore suspended per-
mits and his office is flooded with re-
quests for the restoration of licenses.
The new regulations retain the fea-
ture Of the old law which makes 1t
possible to arrest driver travelling
at such speed as to block, hinder or
retard the orderly and safe use of the
highway so as to cause congestion:
In other words, the too-Slow driver.
EYtStipn H..
OF Is miles per hour and rs miles
per hour for residential areas remain
unchanged in the new law. New
features, however. are that loaded
school busses are limited to IS miles
per hour. and any other passenger bus
is limited to 50-mile rate of speed.
Trucks and any other type of We
hicle are limited to As miles per hour.
The law makes one guilty of a
misdemeanor for failing or refusing
to control the headlights by shifting,
depressing or dimming the headlight
beams when meeting another car.
An innovation is the repeal of the
prohibition against hitch-hiking on
the highways. This law was enacted
by the Legislature in 1882, providing
penalties of not more than $50 fines
or maximum Jail sentences of 80
days.
Rules for Bus Flares.
Another innovation for Virginia, but
one in effect in several other States.
Is the compulsory carrying of flags
and flares for all busses and trucks.
Trucks carrying inf1ammable mate
rial such as gasoline must replace the
flare equipment with electric torches.
The new law prohibits the display of
green lights on any bus or truck. The
green lights now found on the fronts
of many busses and vans must be re-
placed with amber -colored lamps.
This entire act" Mr. Lucas said,
was drawn up with view to mod
| ernizing our laws to keep pace with
the highway improvements. The State
may have changed the law, but the
law Of chance remains unchanged.
The road hog and blind hill -passer
will continue to meet with disaster" !"
Reckless driving charges will con-
| tinue to be placed when the circum-
stances warrant, he said. Its penal
ties are $40 to 500 fine or to 80 days
in Jail for the first offense. For the
second offense the mandatory Jail
| sentence Of 10 days will continue, with
| q possibility OF a six-month term and
also the chance of a $50 to $500 fine
being imposed Second offenders can
not drive for a year. and for the folr