The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-01
HIGHWAY
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and sane" driving law which pro-
vides for the mechanical inspec-
ton Of automobiles, the quadren-
NAL resistance of drivers
licenses, a sped limit OF IS in
stead of so miles per hour on
highways, and stiff penalties FOR
violations Of the traffic laws.
Mechanical inspection provision
of. the law will become e~ffectiv
on January /, 1948 and all motor
vehicles will be subject to one in
spection during 1913, and from
1e49 on there will be semi-annua1
Inspections.
To enforce the new law, the
General assembly authorized ar
increase in the state highway pa
troll from 213 to 423 and increas-
ing the number of drivers license
examiners from so to 100.
The reissuance Of drivers Ii
censes will begin Immediately,
and will take four years to com
plete. Those whose names begin
with the letters CA" and "B''
must apply for new driving per-
mits between July 1 and Decem-
Der 81, and from Jan. l, 1915
through June 30, 1948, drivers
whose last names begin with co.
or I'D" will apply; A schedule for
ether drivers will be announced
later.
All applicants will pass a driv-
ing test, an eye test, a highway
signs test and rules test.
Expire On Birthdays
The new drivers licenses will
expire on the drivers birthdays
the fourth year after they are is
sued. Chauffeurs licenss will be
renewed annually.
Along with Increasing the maxi
mum speed on highways to- S.
miles, the law limits speed in
business districts to Is miles per
hour and in residential areas to
81, and it says that 'no person
shall drive a motor vehicle al
such a slow speed as to impede
or block the normal and reason
able movement of traffic."
The new law provides stiff pen
alties for speeding and reckless
driving including suspension of
drivers licenses. A first convic-
ton Of drunken driving calls for
a years suspension, a fine of not
less than $500 or Imprisonment for
not less than 30 days or both; a
second conviction will bring a sus-
pension of three years and a fine
of not less than 5000 or imprison-
ment COR not less than six months
Or both; and a third conviction
will bring permanent revocation
and a fine Of not less than $500
or both fine and imprisonment.
Beer, Wine Tax
The new Der and wine law pro-
vides for doubling the state tax
on beer and unfortified wine with
the tax on a 12-ounce bottle of
Der increasing from 1 Ia to 2 -
cents and the levy On unfortified
wine going from 80 to 60 cents
per gallon.
Revenues derived from the tax
increase will be divided among
counties and cities which permit
the sale Of beer and w:le. The
first division will be made this
fall.
And 100 days rom tomorrow,
counties will be permitted to call
elections on the banning of either
beer or win or both. If a county
should vote dry, then any town
in the county Of more than 1000
population may have an election
Of the issue.
The fireworks ban forbids the
manufacture, transportation, sale.
purchase or use Of pyrotechnics
in the state with the only excep-
ton being the shooting by sex
perts' OF fireworks at public ex-
hlbitions, fairs or carnivals.
Effective tomorrow the new
State Wildlife Resources commits
sion will assume the duties now
performed by the division of
game and inland fisheries of the
State Department Of Conservation
and Development.