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Show IS II FAVORED Motor Code to Provide 200-Feet 200-Feet Visibility Is Urged j by Bureau. Amendments to motor-vehicle laws, In states which have 'not already revised re-vised their codes, to regulate night driving headlights so that at all times the motorist Is able to see clearly 200 feet ahead Instead of forcing the use of dimmers, characterized as dangerous, danger-ous, is urged by the federal bureau of standards of the Department of Commerce. Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan fall Into the group of states that compel dimmed lights by passing motorists on highways, a practice which the bureau scientists condemn as dangerous, not alone to the drivers but to pedestrians as well. Spotlight Is Favored. The spotlight, excoriated in and ' around Chicago, is recommended, with i-uoper stuay ot its use. Most of the eastern states, as well as states west of Illinois, including Yisconsin, have adopted this apparently revolutionary headlight recommendation. In the District Dis-trict of Columbia where It has been in effect since May 3, night motor accidents ac-cidents have been materially reduced. Prior to May 3 57 per cent of the total accidents occurred between dusk and dawn. Since adoption of the "ample anving tight" standard, with directed beams instead of dimmed lamps, the number has been reduced to 23 per cent. Opposes Dimming in Country. The whole story, according to E. C. Crittenden, chief "of the electrical division di-vision of the big government experiment experi-ment station, lies In intelligent use of modem devices. He makes no choice between various makes of motor headlights head-lights now on the market, one type of which uses a Diane reflector with redirecting lenses, the other employing employ-ing a special reflector with Iphsps thnt spread or bend the light rays downward. down-ward. "For country driving," says a part of the bureau's publication on headlights, head-lights, "dimming the headlights when meeting another car should be dis-( dis-( couraged because of the element of danger Involved. Under normal driving driv-ing conditions the driver's eyes are ad-Justed ad-Justed for good road illumination. When the lights are dimmed, suddenly reducing the road light, a few seconds must elapse before the eyes can readjust read-just themselves to the new conditions. During these few seconds the driver Is unable to see clearly and may collide col-lide with the oncomlug car, run Into pedestrians walking along the roadside road-side or get off the road Into the ditch. In addition, the lights on the approaching approach-ing car seem unduly bright because no rond illumination beyond them Is available to reduce the contrast with the background." |