Chapter 739. To amend the Act known as the “District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925,” approved March 3, 1925, being Public, Numbered 561, Sixty-eighth Congress, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 739.— An Act To amend the Act known as the “District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925,” approved March 3, 1925, being Public, Numbered 561, Sixty-eighth Congress, and for other purposes.July 3, 1926.[[H. R. 3802](/us/bill/69/hr/3802).][[Public, No. 460](/us/pl/69/460).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925.Vol. 43, p. 1119, amended. That the Act known as the “ District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925,” approved March 3, 1925, and being Public, Numbered 561, Sixty-eighth Congress, be, and the same is hereby amended as follows, to wit:
" Additional definitions.“Under the title ‘ Definitions,’ following subdivision
(j)of section 2 of said Act, there shall be added two new subdivisions
(k)and
(1)reading as follows: “(k) “Vehicle.” The term ‘vehicle’ shall apply to any appliance moved over a highway on wheels or traction tread, including street cars, draft animals, and beasts of burden. “(l) Traffic includes all vehicles, pedestrians and animals. Traffic shall be deemed to include not only motor vehicles but also all vehicles, pedestrians, and animals, of every description.” " operators’ permitsOperators’ permits. Sec. 2. Application requirements.Vol. 43, p. 1121, amended. That section 7 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended, so that as amended the same shall hereafter read:
(a)Upon application made under oath and the payment of the fee hereinafter prescribed, the director is hereby authorized to issue a motor-vehicle operator’s permit to any individual who. after examination, in the opinion of the director, is mentally, morally, and physical qualified to operate a motor vehicle in such manner as not to jeopardize the safety of individuals or property. The director shall cause each Examinations, etc.applicant to be examined as to his knowledge of the traffic regula813 tions of the District and shall require the applicant to give a practical demonstration of his ability to operate a motor vehicle within a congested portion of the District and in the presence of such individuals as he may authorize to conduct the demonstration., except that upon the renewal of any such operator’s permit such examination and demonstration may be waived in the discretion of the director. Should the director believe that the issuance or reissuance of a permit in accordance with the provisions of this Act may proveRefusal of permit if believed a menace to public safety. a menace to public safety he may, in his discretion, refuse the issuance or reissuance thereof. Operators’ permits shall be issued for a period not in excess of three years, and shall be renewable for periodsPeriod for three years. of three years upon compliance with such regulations as the Director of Traffic may prescribe. The fee for any such permit shall beFees. three dollars. In case of the loss of an operator’s permit the individual to whom such permit was issued shall forthwith notify the director, who shall furnish such individual with a duplicate permit. The fee for each such duplicate permit shall be 50 cents. No operator’sAge, etc., restrictions. permit shall be issued to any individual under 16 years of age; and no such permit shall be issued to any individual 16 years of age or over but under 18 years of age for the operation of any motor vehicle other than a passenger vehicle or a motor cycle or motor bicycle used solely for purposes of pleasure and owned by such individual or his parent or guardian.
(b)Each operator’s permit shall
(1)state the name and addressDetails on permits. of the holder, together with such other matter as the director may by regulation prescribe, and
(2)contain his signature and space wherein the police court judges or their subordinates are required to note convictions of violations of sections 9, 10, and 11 of theVol. 43, pp. 1123, 1124. Act to provide for the regulation of motor vehicle traffic, etc., in the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1925.
(c)Any individual to whom has been issued a permit to operatePossession of permit when operating motor vehicle. a motor vehicle shall have such permit in his immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle in the District and shall exhibit such permit to any police officer when demand is made therefor. Any individual failing to comply with the provisions ofFine for failure. this subdivision shall upon conviction thereof, be fined not less than $2 nor more than $40: *Provided*, That this shall not apply to transient*Proviso*.Transient visitors excepted. visitors from States in the Union which do not require drivers’ permits.
(d)Permits issued in accordance with the provisions of this ActIssuance to holders of prior permits. to individuals in possession of operators’ permits issued to such individuals in the District prior to the enactment of this Act may be issued with or without the examination and practical demonstration provided in subdivision
(a)of this section, as the director may deem advisable.
(e)No individual shall operate a motor vehicle in the District,Operating vehicle without permit forbidden. except as provided in section 8 of the Act of March 3, 1925, without first having obtained an operator’s permit issued under the provisions of thisPunishment for. Act. Any individual violating any provision of this subdivision shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(f)Nothing in this Act or the Act hereby amended shall relieveLicenses, etc., for passenger vehicles for hire, not affected.Vol. 37, p. 653. any individual from compliance with the Act entitled “An Act to amend the license law, approved July 1, 1902, with respect to licenses of drivers of passenger vehicle for hire,” approved January 29, 1913.
(g)This Act shall become effective immediately upon passage,Act effective immediately, and outstanding permits called in. and promptly thereafter the director shall commence the call of outstanding permits and the reissuance thereof in accordance with814 the provisions of this Act, and shall complete such reissuance within a period of one year. Sec. 3. Revocation, etc., of permits.Vol. 43, p. 1125, amended. That subdivision
(a)of section 13 of said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended, so that as amended the same shall hereafter read: " “ Sec. 13. Authority of director for.
(a)Except where for any violation of this Act revocation of the operator’s permit is mandatory, the director, or any assistant whom be may designate for the purpose, may with or without a prior hearing revoke or suspend an operator’s permit for any *Proviso*.Reason for, to be set out in the order.cause which he, or such assistant, may deem sufficient: *Provided*, That in each case where a permit is revoked or suspended, the reasons therefor shall be set out in the order of revocation or In effect in ten days unless application made to Commissioners for review.suspension: *Provided further*, That such order shall take effect ten days after its issuance unless the holder of the permit shall have filed, within such period, written application with the Commissioners of the District of Columbia for a review of the order of the director If order sustained, effective at once.or his assistant; if, upon such review, the commissioners shall sustain the order of the director or his assistant, such order shall If reversed, to be vacated.become effective immediately; but if, upon such review, the commissioners shall reverse the order of the director or his assistant, such *Provisos*.Application for writ of error allowed to court of appeals to review denial, etc., of permit.order shall thereupon be vacated: *Provided*, That any individual whose permit shall be denied, suspended, or revoked by the director or such assistant may, within thirty days after such denial, revocation, or suspension is ordered, if application for a review by the commissioners of an order for revocation or suspension has not been filed, or, in case such application has been filed, within thirty days after decision of the commissioners, apply to any justice of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia for a writ of error to review the order of the director of traffic (or his assistant) Authority of court.complained of or the decision of the commissioners. And said court is authorized to promulgate rules governing the application for the writ, and the record and proceedings thereon, and to affirm, modify, or reverse the order of the director of traffic (or his assistant) or Decision final.the decision of the commissioners, where the writ is allowed pursuant hereto; and the decision of said court shall be final: Application not to stay order, etc.*Provided further*, That the application to said court for a writ of error shall not operate as a stay of such order of the director or his assistant or the decision of the commissioners.” " Sec. 4. Vol. 43, p. 1124, amended. That said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by adding after subdivision
(d)of section 6 of said Act the following: " ”(e) Prosecutions, smoke screens excepted, to be in police court by in formation.Vol. 43, p. 1124, amended. All prosecutions for violations of provisions of this Act, excepting section 11 only thereof, and all amendments to the said Act or regulations authorized and promulgated under the authority of said Act and amendments thereto, shall be in the police court of the District of Columbia by information filed by the corporation *Proviso*.Trial by jury preserved.counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants: *Provided*, That nothing herein contained shall deprive any person of the right of trial by jury.” " Sec. 5. Speeding, etc.Vol. 43, p. 1123, amended. That said Act be, and the same is hereby, amended by striking out all of subdivision
(a)of section 9 of said Act and inserting in lieu thereof the following: " “(a) Rate allowed. No vehicle shall be operated upon any public highway in the District at a speed greater than twenty-two miles per hour except in such outlying districts and upon such highways as the director In outlying districts, arterial highways, bridges, etc.may designate. In such outlying districts and on such arterial highways or boulevards, and on all other public thoroughfares or bridges and alleys, the speed of all vehicles except street cars shall be governed by the provisions of this Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.” " Approved, July 3, 1926.