AN ACT TO AMEND ACT NUMBERED TWENTY-ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINE, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO REGULATE MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND THE LICENSING OF OPERATORS, AND TO REQUIRE ALL VEHICLES ON HIGHWAYS TO CARRY LIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," BY FIXING A MAXIMUM RATE OF SPEED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

• Number: Act No. 2389
• Sections: 6

Section 1

SECTION 1. Section five of Act Numbered Twenty-one hundred and fifty-nine, entitled "An Act to regulate motor vehicle traffic in the Philippine Islands, to provide for the registration of motor vehicles and the licensing of operators, and to require all vehicles on highways to carry lights, and for other purposes," is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5. Upon the receipt of such application and fee the Director of Public Works shall cause the same to be registered or recorded in a book to be kept by him for that purpose, which shall be known as the 'Motor Vehicle Register,' and in which such information shall be set forth as will enable the vehicle and the owner thereof to be identified. The Director of Public Works shall issue to the applicant a numbered certificate of registration (in duplicate) for each separate vehicle and shall enter the number of such certificate in the 'Motor Vehicle Register.' "

Section 2

SEC. 2. Section eight of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 8. All number plates shall be of such color, size, Number plates. and design as may be selected and determined by the Director of Public Works and shall contain in Arabic numerals of a length of not less, than one decimeter and each stroke of which shall be not less than one centimeter in thickness, the number assigned by the Director of Public Works: Provided, That the Director of Public Works may issue to motor vehicles having three wheels or less a number plate having Arabic numerals of a length not less than five centimeters and a thickness not less than one centimeter."

Section 3

SEC. 3. Section twelve of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 12. Every dealer in motor vehicles may, instead of registering separately each such vehicle owned or controlled and used and operated in his business by him or by his employees or agents, make, before the first day of January of each year, application for a general certificate of registration and a general distinguishing number or mark. Such application shall contain whatever information may be required by the Director of Public Works. The Director of Public Works, if satisfied with the statements in such application, may grant to the applicant one general certificate of registration (in quadruplicate) showing the name, residence, place of business, and address of the applicant, and that the same is a dealer in motor vehicles within the meaning of this Act. Such dealer's certificate shall further show the general distinguishing number or mark assigned, the kind, type, style, or make of motor vehicles manufactured, sold or kept, or handled for sale by him, and such other information as the Director of Public Works may deem expedient. The general distinguishing number or mark shall be issued in quadruplicate. All motor vehicles manufactured, owned, controlled or kept or handled for sale by such applicant shall thereafter be regarded as registered under such general distinguishing number or mark, except those for his private use, each of which shall be separately registered under sections three, four, five, and six of this Act. The fee for registration of a dealer in motor vehicles :

"Provided, That no dealer shall operate motor vehicles for hire unless same shall have been registered in accordance with sections three and four of this Act."

Section 4

SEC. 4. Section twenty-four of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 24. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any highway in these Islands recklessly or at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, having regard to the width, traffic, grades, crossings, curvatures, and other conditions of the highway and to the conditions of the atmosphere and weather, or so as to endanger the property or the safety or rights of any person or so as to cause excessive or unreasonable damage to the highway. If the rate of speed of any motor vehicle operated within any city or the poblacion limits of any municipality exceeds twenty miles per hour such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating same is operating at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, and in violation of the provisions of this section. If the rate of speed of a motor vehicle operated on any public highway of the Philippine Islands, where the operator's view of the road and traffic is obstructed, when approaching a crossing or intersecting public highway or when traversing a bridge, or a sharp turn, or a steep descent, or a curve in the highway, or when meeting any other motor vehicle or conveyance moving in an opposite direction, exceeds fifteen miles an hour, such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating such motor vehicle is operating the same at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper, and in violation of the provisions of this section. If the rate of speed of a motor vehicle operated upon any highway of the Philippine Islands in passing any street railway car that is stationary or about to stop, on the same side of the car on which passengers are ordinarily received and discharged exceeds ten miles an hour, such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operating such motor vehicle is operating the same at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper and in violation of the provisions of this section.

"No person shall unreasonably obstruct or impede the passage or right of travel of any motor vehicle or operator thereof and no operator shall unreasonably obstruct the

passage of any other vehicle or person on any highway. Every person found guilty of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five nor more than fifty pesos or by imprisonment of not more than six months or by both such fine and imprisonment."

Section 5

SEC. 5. Section twenty-seven of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 27. Any operator of any motor vehicle which is for let or hire to the public who drinks any intoxicating beverage while on duty, or operates a motor vehicle on any public highway within one hour after having partaken of any intoxicating beverage, and every person operating a motor vehicle upon a highway while under the influence of liquor shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than two hundred and fifty pesos or by imprisonment of not less than fifteen days nor more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment."

Section 6

SEC. 6. Section thirty-two of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 32. Every motor vehicle of more than three wheels in use on any public highway, whether in motion or not, shall bear two lamps in front, one on each side which not later than one-half hour after sunset and until at least one-half hour before sunrise, shall be lighted. While the vehicle is in motion, the lights on a level shall render the person of a man dressed in dark clothing visible for a distance of not less than one hundred feet ahead and the light thrown forward or ahead of the motor vehicle shall be white light. Additional lamps and lights may be carried; but if one additional lamp is carried it shall be affixed midway between the two lamps hereinbefore required. If two additional lamps are carried and one of them is lighted the other shall also be lighted. The lighting of only one of a pair of. additional h

"Each such vehicle shall further, during the hours aforesaid, bear in the rear a lamp throwing a white light upon the number plate or other distinguishing mark issued for each vehicle, which light shall render the number legible for a distance of sixty feet in the direction from which such motor vehicle is proceeding, and a red light to the rear. The hours herein fixed within which such lamps shall burn shall not exempt operator* from the obligation of lighting such lamps or causing the same to be lighted at earlier or later hours or times when, on account of atmospheric or weather conditions or other phenomena, the use of such motor vehicles upon public highways might otherwise be dangerous or unsafe. Motor vehicles of less than four wheels shall, during the hours herein fixed, bear in front a lamp throwing a white light ahead.

"Every other vehicle, of whatever style, kind, make, character, or nature, when upon a highway during the hours aforesaid, whether in motion or not, shall bear one or more lights so arranged that the same shall be visible from in front and from the rear of such vehicle."

Enacted, February 28, 1914.