ILLINOIS 
 
 \ 
 
 Motor Vehicle 
 Law 
 
 tn Force January l, 1920 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 LOUIS L. EMMERSON 
 
 Secretary of State 
 
 [Printed by authority of the State 
 of Illinois.] 
 
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ILLINOIS 
 
 Motor Vehicle 
 Law 
 
 . COMPILED BY 
 
 LOUIS L. EMMERSON 
 
 Secretary of State 
 
 [Printed by authority of the State 
 of Illinois.] 
 
i 
 
 Schnepp & Barnes, Printers 
 Springfield, I'll. 
 
 22129—2'50M 
 
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 ILLINOIS MOTOR VEHICLE 
 LAW. 
 
 An Act in relation to motor vehicles 
 and to repeal a certain Act therein 
 named. 
 
 Section 1 . Be it enacted by the Peo¬ 
 ple of the State of Illinois, represented 
 in the General Assembly: 
 
 Whenever the term “motor vehicle” 
 is used in this Act, it shall be con¬ 
 strued to include automobiles, loco¬ 
 mobiles, motor bicycles, tractors, 
 traction engines, and all other vehicles 
 propelled otherwise than by muscu¬ 
 lar power, and including also vehicles 
 or trailers, or semi-trailers pulled or 
 towed by a motor vehicle, but exclud¬ 
 ing cars of electric and steam rail¬ 
 ways and other motor vehicles run¬ 
 ning only upon fixed rails or tracks. 
 Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
 to apply to or to affect bicycles or 
 tricycles or such other vehicles as are 
 propelled exclusively by muscular 
 pedal power. 
 
 Whenever the term “improved high¬ 
 ways” is used in this Act it shall be 
 construed to include roads of con¬ 
 crete, brick, asphalt, macadam and 
 gravel. 
 
 § 2. This Act shall be known as the 
 “Motor Vehicle Law,” and may here¬ 
 after be referred to by that designa- 
 
 •'-D 
 
tlon. For the purposes of this Act, 
 motor vehicles as a class shall be 
 divided into two divisions; viz.: 
 
 First: Those vehicles which are de¬ 
 signed and used for the carrying of 
 not more than seven persons. 
 
 Second: Those vehicles which are 
 designed and used for pulling or car¬ 
 rying freight and also those vehicles 
 or motor cars which are designed and 
 used for the carrying of more than 
 seven persons. 
 
 § 3. The weights and dimensions of 
 vehicles of either division mentioned 
 in section 2 of this Act shall be lim¬ 
 ited as follows, to-wit: 
 
 (1) The maximum gross load to be 
 permitted on any axle of any vehicle 
 shall not exceed sixteen thousand 
 pounds; and the gross weight of any 
 vehicle, including the weight of the 
 vehicle and' maximum load, shall not 
 exceed 800 pounds per inch of the 
 average width of tire of the road 
 wheels of such vehicles in actual con¬ 
 tact with the surface of the road. 
 
 (2) Weight limits 50 per cent above 
 those provided for herein may be 
 permitted by ordinance in cities hav¬ 
 ing a population of more than 20,000, 
 but such increase shall not apply to 
 vehicles when outside the limits of 
 such a city. 
 
 (3) The maximum width of any 
 vehicle and its load shall not exceed 
 eight feet, excepting loads of loose 
 hay, straw, corn fodder, or other simi¬ 
 lar farm products. 
 
 (4) Upon the filing in the office of 
 
 4 
 
the Secretary of State of an applica¬ 
 tion for the first registration of ve¬ 
 hicles described in the second division 
 of section 2 of this Act, and the pay¬ 
 ment of the registration fee herein¬ 
 after provided, the Secretary of State, 
 or his duly authorized agent, shall 
 issue to such applicant in addition to 
 the regular number plate, a metal 
 plate which shall not be less than four 
 inches long and two inches wide, upon 
 which shall be impressed, with a metal 
 die, the weight in pounds of such 
 vehicle and maximum load in con¬ 
 formity with and as provided by this 
 Act, which metal plate aforesaid shall 
 be attached to said vehicle in con¬ 
 spicuous place and at all times carried 
 thereupon. 
 
 (5) Where trailers are used the 
 length of any vehicle, or vehicles, com¬ 
 bined with their trailers, shall not 
 exceed 65 feet; provided, that upon 
 application to the highway or street 
 officials having proper jurisdiction 
 over a particular highway special per¬ 
 mits in writing may be granted for 
 the operation of trains of trailers ex¬ 
 ceeding in length the foregoing, sub¬ 
 ject to such conditions as such high¬ 
 way or street officials may prescribe. 
 On all highways under the control of 
 or required to be maintained in whole 
 or in part by the State such permis¬ 
 sion shall be obtained from the De¬ 
 partment of Public Works and Build¬ 
 ings. 
 
 § 4. After the passage and approval 
 of this Act, no metal tired vehicle, in- 
 
 5 
 
eluding tractors, traction engines and 
 other similar vehicles, shall be oper¬ 
 ated over any improved public high¬ 
 ways of this State, if such vehicle has 
 on the periphery of any of the road 
 wheels any block, stud, flange, cleat, 
 ridge, bolt, lug, or any projection of 
 metal or wood which projects radically 
 beyond the tread or traffic surface of 
 the tire; except that this prohibition 
 shall not apply to tractors or traction 
 engines equipped with what is known 
 as caterpillar tractors, when such 
 caterpillar does not contain any pro¬ 
 jections of any kind likely to injure 
 the surface of the road; Provided , 
 however , that tractors, traction en¬ 
 gines and similar vehicles may be 
 operated which have upon their road 
 wheels V-shaped, diagonal or other 
 cleats arranged in such a manner as 
 to be continuously in contact with the 
 road surface, provided that the gross 
 weight upon such wheels per inch of 
 width of such cleats in contact with 
 the road surface, when measured in 
 the direction of the axle of the vehicle, 
 does not exceed 800 pounds. 
 
 § 5. All motor vehicles and all trail¬ 
 ers or other vehicles in tow thereof, or 
 thereunto attached, operating upon the 
 improved public highways, shall have 
 tires of rubber or some material of 
 equal resiliency: Provided, that tires 
 shall be considered defective and shall 
 not be permitted to be used if the 
 rubber or other material has been 
 worn or otherwise reduced to a thick¬ 
 ness of less than three-fourths of an 
 
inch or if such tires have been so worn 
 or otherwise damaged as to cause un¬ 
 due vibration when the vehicle is in 
 motion or to cause undue concentra¬ 
 tion of the wheel load on the surface 
 of the road: And provided, further, 
 that this requirement shall not apply 
 to agricultural tractors or traction 
 engines or to agricultural machinery, 
 including wagons being used for agri¬ 
 cultural purposes in tow therof, or 
 to trailers carrying agricultural prod¬ 
 ucts drawn by trucks at a speed not 
 to exceed ten miles per hour or to 
 road rollers or road building ma¬ 
 chinery. 
 
 § 6. No motor vehicle shall be oper¬ 
 ated upon the improved public high¬ 
 ways of the State which shall be 
 equipped with any anti-skid or non¬ 
 slip device so constructed that any 
 rigid or non-flexible portion of same 
 comes in contact with the pavement; 
 Provided, that this section shall not 
 apply to agricultural tractors or trac¬ 
 tion engines or similar metal-tired 
 vehicles which have anti-skid devices 
 upon the road wheels and which are 
 otherwise permitted to be used under 
 the provisions of this Act. 
 
 § 7. No tractor, traction engine or 
 other metal tired vehicle, weighing 
 more than four tons, including the 
 weight of the vehicle and its load, 
 shall drive up onto, off or over the 
 edge of any paved public highway in 
 this State, without protecting such 
 edge by putting dowm solid planks or 
 other suitable device to prevent such 
 
vehicle from breaking off the edges 
 of corners of such pavement. 
 
 § 8. Every owner of a vehicle of the 
 First Division, as described in section 
 2 of this Act, which shall be driven 
 in this State, shall, except as other¬ 
 wise provided in this Act, within ten 
 days after he becomes the owner of 
 such motor vehicle or motor bicycle, 
 file in the office of the Secretary of 
 State an application for a certificate 
 of registration properly sworn to, set¬ 
 ting forth his name and address, with 
 a brief description of the vehicle, or 
 bicycle, to be registered, including the 
 name of the maker, factory and en¬ 
 gine numbers, style of ' vehicle or 
 bicycle and the motor power and (ex¬ 
 cept in the case of electrically pro¬ 
 pelled vehicles) the amount of such 
 motor power stated in figures of horse 
 power, in accordance with such stand¬ 
 ard rating as may be prescribed by 
 the Secretary of State, on a blank to 
 be prepared and furnished by such 
 Secretary of State for that purpose 
 and shall pay to said Secretary of 
 State, for each calendar year from 
 and after January 1, 1920, a registra¬ 
 tion fee for motor bicycles and motor 
 vehicles of said First Division, so 
 registered, at the following rates: 
 For each motor bicycle, the sum of 
 $4.00 per annum; for each motor ve¬ 
 hicle of 25 horsepower, and less, the 
 sum of $8.00 per annum; for each 
 motor vehicle of 35 horsepower and 
 more than 25 horsepower, the sum of 
 $12.00 per annum; for each motor 
 
 8 
 
vehicle of 50 horsepower and more 
 than 35 horsepower, the sum of $20.00 
 per annum; for each motor vehicle of 
 more than 50 horsepower, the sum of 
 $25.00 per annum; for each and every 
 electrically propelled motor vehicle, 
 the sum of $12.00 per annum: Pro¬ 
 vided, the first registration fee for 
 each motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 shall be reduced 50 per cent if pay¬ 
 able during the second half of the cal¬ 
 endar year, and that no certificate for 
 re-registration shall issue for a less 
 sum than the fee required for a cal¬ 
 endar year. Said registration shall 
 be made on the date the application 
 is received and filed by the Secretary 
 of State and expire with the last day 
 of the calendar year in which such 
 registration is made. Upon the filing 
 in the office of the Secretary of State 
 of said application and the payment 
 of the registration fee, as herinbe- 
 fore provided, the Secretary of State 
 or his duly authorized agent, shall, 
 without further fee, assign to such 
 motor vehicle, or motor bicycle, as de¬ 
 scribed in such application, a dis¬ 
 tinctive number and shall issue to the 
 owner of such motor vehicle or motor 
 bicycle, as it is described in the appli¬ 
 cation filed, a certificate of registra¬ 
 tion, which certificate shall be in the 
 form of a card, which may be carried 
 in the pocket, and which certificate 
 shall contain the descriptive number 
 so assigned to such motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle, the name and address 
 of the owner, a brief description of 
 
 9 
 
such motor vehicle or motor bicycle, 
 stating the name of the manufacturer, 
 the kind of motor power, and the 
 amount of such motor power stated in 
 figures of horsepower or the capacity 
 of such motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 if electrically propelled. Upon filing 
 in the office of the Secretary of State 
 an affidavit to the effect that the ori¬ 
 ginal front or rear motor vehicle num¬ 
 ber plate or original motor bicycle 
 number plate is lost, stolen, or de¬ 
 stroyed, a duplicate certificate of regis¬ 
 tration or duplicate motor bicycle 
 number plate will be furnished at 50 
 cents each and a duplicate front and 
 rear motor vehicle number plate will 
 be furnished at $1.00 each. The Secre¬ 
 tary of State shall keep separate 
 alphabetical lists of all owners of 
 motor vehicles of the First Division 
 and all owners of motor vehicles of 
 the Second Division, with the address 
 of each, the registration number, the 
 date of filing of the application and 
 the description of the motor vehicle 
 or motor bicycle; and shall not there¬ 
 after assign a number once assigned 
 to a motor vehicle or a motor bicycle 
 owned by any other person, if the 
 owner of the motor vehicle - or motor 
 bicycle to whom such number was 
 first assigned shall, not less than 
 twenty (20) days prior to the day of 
 expiration of said registration, file an 
 application accompanied by the fees 
 herein specified for the registration or 
 re-registration of a motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle and request the assign- 
 
 10 
 
ment of said number to a motor ve¬ 
 hicle or motor bicycle owned by him. 
 The Secretary of State, shall at the 
 end of each calendar month, print and 
 mail to the clerks and the sheriffs of 
 all the counties and to the chiefs of 
 police of cities and towns of five 
 thousand population and over, in this 
 State, copies of lists of registration 
 made in accordance herewith showing 
 the number of motor vehicles and the 
 motor bicycles and the names and 
 addresses of the owners thereof. 
 
 The Secretary of State, shall, upon 
 payment of a fee of $25.00 enter the 
 name of the person, firm or corpora¬ 
 tion sending the same, upon a list to 
 receive copies of the lists of registra¬ 
 tion provided for in this section. 
 
 § 9. All vehicles of the Second Divi¬ 
 sion as described in section 2 of this 
 Act, which are designed or equipped 
 or used for carrying freight, and all 
 vehicles of said First Division which 
 have been remodeled and are being 
 used for carrying freight, and all 
 vehicles of said Second Division which 
 are used for carrying more than seven 
 persons shall pay to the Secretary of 
 State for each calendar year from 
 and after January 1, 1920, license fees 
 for the use of the public highways of 
 this State at the following rates, to- 
 wit: 
 
 (a) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of five thousand (5,000) pounds and 
 less, including the weight of the ve¬ 
 hicle and maximum load, $12.00. 
 
 11 
 
(b) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than five thousand (5,000) 
 pounds and not more than twelve 
 thousand (12,000) pounds, including 
 the weight of the vehicle and maxi¬ 
 mum load, $22.50. 
 
 (c) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than twelve thousand (12,000) 
 pounds and not more than fifteen 
 thousand (15,000) pounds, including 
 the weight of the vehicle and maxi¬ 
 mum load, $35.00. 
 
 (d) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than fifteen thousand (15,000) 
 pounds including the weight of the 
 vehicle and maximum load, $60.00. 
 
 (e) Tractors, traction engines or 
 other similar vehicles used for haul¬ 
 ing purposes, except as hereinafter 
 provided, shall pay a license fee of 
 $25.00 per annum; provided, that none 
 of the vehicles of said Second Division 
 shall be required to pay the registra¬ 
 tion fees in section 8 of this Act. 
 
 § 10. All license fees provided for in 
 section 9 of this Act shall be paid to 
 the Secretary of State in the same 
 manner and at the same time, and in 
 the same proportions, for fractions of 
 a year, as provided for in section 8 
 of this Act: Provided, however, that 
 such license fees shall be paid before 
 the vehicles are used on the public 
 highways of the State. All license 
 fees provided for in section 9 shall be 
 deposited in the State treasury and 
 become and be a • part of the Road 
 Fund provided for in section 36 of 
 this Act. 
 
 12 
 
§ 11. Any person, firm or corpora¬ 
 tion who shall violate any of the pro¬ 
 visions of sections S, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 
 10, 23, 24 or 33, shall be subject to a 
 penalty of not less than $10.00, nor 
 more than $100.00, for each offense, 
 together with costs of suit and shall 
 also be held liable for the payment of 
 all damages caused to any public high¬ 
 way by such violation. Any vehicle 
 used in violation of any section of 
 this Act and thereby causing damage 
 to any public highway shall be sub¬ 
 ject to a lien for the full amount of 
 all unpaid registration fees, license 
 fees, penalties and damages; provided, 
 however, that such lien shall not re¬ 
 lease the offender from the full pay¬ 
 ment of all registration fees, license 
 fees, penalties and damages which 
 may be due from him or be recovered 
 against him in any court of competent 
 jurisdiction; and provided also, that 
 such lien shall not be superior to any 
 chattel mortgage or other lien attach¬ 
 ing to such vehicle. 
 
 § 12. Every transfer of any vehicle 
 of said Second Division from one 
 owner to another by sale, barter or 
 otherwise, shall be reported to the 
 Secretary of State and be regulated 
 and controlled as near as may be by 
 the provisions of section 19 of this 
 Act. * 
 
 § 13. The Secretary of State is here¬ 
 by authorized and empowered to in¬ 
 stitute, in the name of the People of 
 the State of Illinois, a suit or suits in 
 any court of competent jurisdiction 
 
 13 
 
to enforce the collection of any regis¬ 
 tration fees, fines, penalties or dam¬ 
 ages provided for in this Act. 
 
 § 14. The Secretary of State shall 
 supply and deliver to the address of 
 the owner of each licensed motor ve¬ 
 hicle or motor bicycle registered in 
 his office, as herein provided, charges 
 prepaid, and without additional cost, 
 one number plate for each motor bi¬ 
 cycle, which shall be of a size one- 
 third of that required for motor ve¬ 
 hicles, as hereinafter provided, and 
 which shall be conspicuously dis¬ 
 played thereon, and two number plates 
 for each motor vehicle other than a 
 motor bicycle. All number plates 
 issued during any calendar year shall 
 be of like design and color combina¬ 
 tion for motor vehicles in each di¬ 
 vision, but the number plates for mo¬ 
 tor vehicles in the First Division shall 
 be distinctly different from the num¬ 
 ber plates for motor vehicles in the 
 Second Division. All such number 
 plates shall be as simple and inex¬ 
 pensive as may be for the purpose 
 required, and the number thereon 
 shall correspond, with the number of 
 the certificate of registration issued 
 by the Secretary of State, as here¬ 
 inbefore provided, and such number 
 plates shall be conspicuously dis¬ 
 played upon the front and. back of 
 the motor vehicle to which they are 
 assigned as herein provided, when¬ 
 ever the same shall be driven or 
 used upon the public streets, roads, 
 turnpikes, parks, parkways, drives or 
 
 14 
 
other public highways in this State, 
 and shall be firmly attached to the 
 said motor vehicle so that they will 
 not swing loosely, and the rear num¬ 
 ber plate shall not be less than twenty 
 (20) inches above the surface of the 
 ground, and both shall at all times be 
 kept clean and free from grease and 
 dirt. The figures upon such number 
 plates shall be separate Arabic numer¬ 
 als, not less than four (4) inches in 
 height, and each stroke shall be of a 
 width not less than one-half ( y 2 ) inch, 
 and said number plates shall also bear 
 as a part of such number the letters 
 “HI.” and each of such letters shall be 
 not less than one inch in height. Such 
 number plates shall be of distinctly 
 different color for each calendar year, 
 and there shall be at all times a 
 marked contrast between the color of 
 the number plates and that of the 
 figures and letters thereon: Provided, 
 however, the same combination of 
 colors may be repeated after the lapse 
 of five (5) years from the date of 
 their first issue. The owner of such 
 motor vehicle shall not be required to 
 place any mark of identity upon such 
 motor vehicle or motor bicycle other 
 than the plates or plate so delivered 
 by the Secretary of State and such 
 tax or license number as may be is¬ 
 sued by the city, village, town or other 
 municipal corporation within which 
 such owner resides. 
 
 § 15. Any person or persons who 
 shall cover, alter, deface or mutilate 
 the license plate or plates which are 
 
 15 
 
furnished by the Secretary of State 
 shall be deemed guilty of a misde¬ 
 meanor and, upon conviction thereof, 
 shall be fined in a sum not to exceed 
 $ 100 . 00 . 
 
 § 16. When upon any public high¬ 
 way in this State, during the period 
 from one hour after sunset to sunrise, 
 every motor bicycle shall carry one 
 lighted lamp and every motor vehicle 
 two lighted lamps showing white 
 lights, or lights of a yellow or amber 
 tint, visible at least two hundred (200) 
 feet in the direction toward which 
 each motor bicycle or mot<>r vehicle is 
 proceeding and shall also exhibit at 
 least one lighted lamp which shall be 
 so situated as to throw a red light 
 visible in the reverse direction. The 
 number plate at the back of the motor 
 vehicle provided for in section 14 shall 
 be firmly attached to the vehicle, so 
 that it will not swing loosely, and shall 
 be so lighted that the numbers on said 
 plate shall be plainly legible and in¬ 
 telligible at a distance of fifty (50) 
 feet. On approaching another vehicle 
 proceeding in an opposite direction, 
 and when within not less than two 
 hundred and fifty feet of same, any 
 person in charge of a motor bicycle or 
 motor vehicle equipped with electric 
 headlight or headlights, shall dim or 
 extinguish such headlight or head¬ 
 lights: Provided, however, that the 
 provision herein contained in regard 
 to dimming or extinguishing of head¬ 
 lights shall not apply when such head¬ 
 lights are equipped with an anti-glare 
 
 16 
 
device or lenses which prevent a glar¬ 
 ing or dazzling light. During the 
 period from one hour after sunset to 
 sunrise every motor bicycle or motor 
 vehicle which is standing on any 
 road, highway or street shall display 
 a light on the front and at the rear 
 of the same. 
 
 § 17. Every person, firm, association 
 or corporation, manufacturing or deal¬ 
 ing in motor vehicles may, instead of 
 registering each motor vehicle so 
 manufactured or dealt in, make a 
 verified application upon a blank to 
 be furnished by the Secretary of State 
 for a general distinctive number for 
 all the motor vehicles owned or con¬ 
 trolled by such manufacturer or 
 dealer, such application to contain: 
 (a) The trade name or names of the 
 make of the motor vehicle or vehicles 
 manufactured or dealt in by such 
 manufacturer or dealer, including the 
 character of the motor power, the 
 amount of such motor power (except 
 in case of electrically propelled motor 
 vehicles) stated in figures of horse¬ 
 power, and (b) the name and business 
 address of such manufacturer or 
 dealer. Every applicant when making 
 such application shall pay to the Sec¬ 
 retary of State a registration fee at 
 the following rates: For each calendar 
 year from and after January 1, 1920, 
 the sum of $12.00 per annum. Upon 
 the payment of such registration fee 
 such application shall be filed and 
 recorded in the office of the Secretary 
 of State in the manner provided in 
 
 17 
 
section 8 of this Act. There shall 
 thereupon be assigned and issued to 
 such manufacturer or dealer a general 
 distinctive number, and without fur¬ 
 ther expense to him there shall be 
 issued and promptly delivered to such 
 manufacturer or dealer at his busi¬ 
 ness address a certificate of registra¬ 
 tion in such form as the Secretary of 
 State shall prescribe, and two number 
 plates with a number corresponding 
 with the number of such certificate 
 of registration. The number plates so 
 issued shall be distinctly different 
 form than those provided for in sec¬ 
 tion 14 of this Act, but shall corre¬ 
 spond in color and size of numbers 
 and letters with the number plates 
 for motor vehicles provided for in 
 section 14 thereof. By filing applica¬ 
 tion for the same, such manufacturer 
 or dealer may obtain as many dupli¬ 
 cates of such number plates as he may 
 desire upon payment to the Secretary 
 of State for each set of two plates the 
 sum of $12.00 per annum. In case of 
 loss or destruction of one plate, the 
 manufacturer or dealer may obtain a 
 duplicate of the same by filing affi¬ 
 davit to that affect and upon the pay¬ 
 ment of the fee of $6.00. Such num¬ 
 ber plates shall be conspicuously dis¬ 
 played upon the front and back of 
 every motor vehicle of such manu¬ 
 facturer or dealer when the same is 
 operated or driven on the public high¬ 
 ways. Such registration shall be re¬ 
 newed annually in the same manner 
 and on the payment of the same fee 
 
 18 
 
as provided in this section for ori¬ 
 ginal registration, such renewal to 
 take effect on the first day of January 
 of each year. The provisions of sec¬ 
 tion 8 relating to first registrations 
 made in compliance therewith and 
 durations of renewals shall apply to 
 registration under this section! Upon 
 the sale of a motor vehicle by a manu¬ 
 facturer or dealer, the purchaser shall 
 be permitted to operate the same upon 
 the public highways of this State for 
 a period of ten days after taking pos¬ 
 session thereof, without carrying li¬ 
 cense plates, as provided in section 
 14 of v this Act, if the purchaser shall 
 have in his possession a bill of sale, 
 as hereinfater [hereinafter] provided, 
 and if proper application for the reg¬ 
 istration of such motor vehicle shall 
 have been mailed or presented to the 
 Secretary of State, together with the 
 required fee, within twenty-four hours 
 after he has taken possession thereof. 
 
 Upon the sale of a motor vehicle by 
 a manufacturer or dealer, he shall 
 thereupon give to the purchaser a bill 
 of sale setting forth the name and 
 address of the purchaser, the date of 
 purchase, together with a description 
 of such motor vehicle, showing name 
 of manufacturer, style, factory and 
 engine numbers, and amount of horse¬ 
 power. 
 
 The names of the licensed manu¬ 
 facturers and dealers shall be fur¬ 
 nished the county clerks, sheriffs and 
 the chiefs of police in the same man- 
 
 19 
 
ner as provided for in section 8 in 
 respect to owners. 
 
 § 18. No motor vehicle or motor bi¬ 
 cycle shall be used or operated upon 
 the public highways of this State after 
 this Act shall take effect which shall 
 display thereon a number belonging 
 to any other vehicle or bicycle or 
 fictitious registration number: Pro¬ 
 vided, however, that this section shall 
 not be construed to prohibit any other 
 number being displayed for any law¬ 
 ful purpose upon a motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle in addition to the num¬ 
 ber plates issued by the Secretary of 
 State as aforesaid. 
 
 By the first day of January of each 
 calendar year the owner of any li¬ 
 censed motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 shall file with the Secretary of State 
 a properly executed application for 
 the re-registration of the same, and 
 such application shall be accompanied 
 by the fee required in each case by 
 this Act. 
 
 § 19. Immediately upon the sale and 
 delivery of any motor vehicle or motor 
 bicycle which has been registered as 
 herein provided prior to the date of 
 such sale by any person other than a 
 manufacturer or dealer, the vendor 
 shall remove the number plate or 
 plates from the motor vehicle or motor 
 bicycle so sold, and within ten days 
 after the date of such sale the vendor 
 shall send a statement of such sale, 
 showing the date thereof, the registra¬ 
 tion number of the motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle so sold, and the name 
 
 20 
 
of the purchaser to the Secretary of 
 State; and thereupon such number 
 plate or plates shall cease to apply 
 to the motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 so sold, and the purchaser shall regis¬ 
 ter the same as in the case of an ori¬ 
 ginal registration. In all such cases, 
 the vendor shall give to the purchaser 
 a bill of sale, which shall conform to 
 the requirements contained in section 
 17 of this Act. Upon the payment to 
 the Secretary of State of a fee of one 
 dollar any other motor vehicle of like 
 horsepower or capacity or less, or any 
 motor bicycle owned by such vendor 
 may be registered by such vendor, and 
 the number plate or plates so re¬ 
 moved from the motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle so sold shall be assigned 
 by the Secretary of State and shall 
 apply to and be used upon such other 
 motor vehicle or motor bicycle until 
 the thirty-first day of December then 
 next ensuing: Provided, however, that 
 in case the horsepower or capacity of 
 any motor vehicle to which the unex¬ 
 pired term of the registration of the 
 vehicle sold is sought to be applied 
 would have required the payment of a 
 larger registration fee than was paid 
 upon the registration of the motor 
 vehicle so sold, the vendor thereof 
 shall, before the number plates may 
 be applied to or used upon such motor 
 vehicle of greater horsepower, or ca¬ 
 pacity, pay to the Secretary of State 
 such a sum as added to the amount 
 of the original registration fee paid 
 for the year in which such motor ve- 
 
 21 
 
hide is sold, equals the amount of the 
 registration fee provided by this Act 
 to be paid upon the registration of a 
 motor vehicle of such greater horse¬ 
 power or capacity: Provided , however, 
 that the registration fee paid by the 
 State of Illinois or by any county, 
 township, city, village or incorporated 
 town for each motor vehicle or motor 
 bicycle owned and operated by it shall 
 be two dollars for each calendar year. 
 
 § 20. The provisions of sections 8, 
 14, 17, 18 and 19 of this Act shall not 
 apply to any motor vehicle or motor 
 bicycle owned by non-residents of this 
 State, but foreign corporations own¬ 
 ing, maintaining or operating places 
 of business in this State and using 
 motor vehicles or motor bicycles in 
 connection with such places of busi¬ 
 ness, shall not be exempt from the pro¬ 
 visions of sections 8, 14, 17, 18 and 19 
 of this Act in so far as the motor 
 vehicles and motor bicycles used in 
 connection with such places of busi¬ 
 ness are concerned: Provided, the 
 owner thereof has complied with any 
 law requiring the registration of 
 motor vehicles or motor bicycles or 
 the names of the owners thereof in 
 force in the city, state, foreign coun¬ 
 try or province, territory or federal 
 district of his residence: Provided, 
 that the registration number showing 
 the initial or abbreviation of the name 
 of such city, state, foreign country or 
 province, territory or federal district, 
 shall be displayed on such vehicle 
 substantially as is provided in section 
 
 22 
 
14 of this Act: Provided, further, that 
 the provisions of this section shall be 
 operative as to a motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle owned by a non-resident 
 of this State only to the extent that 
 under the laws of the city, state, for¬ 
 eign country or province, territory or 
 federal district of his residence, like 
 exemptions and privileges are granted 
 to motor vehicles or motor bicycles 
 duly registered under the laws of and 
 owned by residents of this State: 
 Provided, further, that a non-resident 
 within the meaning of this Act shall 
 be held and defined to mean a person 
 temporarily sojourning within this 
 State for a period of six months or 
 less in any one year. 
 
 § 21. Every motor vehicle and motor 
 bicycle while in use on a public high¬ 
 way shall be provided with good and 
 sufficient brakes and also with a suit¬ 
 able bell, horn or other signal device. 
 No part of the machinery of any motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle shall be left 
 running while such motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle is left standing without 
 an attendant on any public highway 
 in this State. 
 
 § 22. No person shall drive a vehicle 
 of the First Division as described in 
 section 2 of this Act, upon any public 
 highway in this State at a speed 
 greater than is reasonable and proper 
 having regard to the traffic and the 
 use of the way or so as to endanger 
 the life or limb or injure the property 
 of any person. If the rate of speed 
 of any motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 
 23 
 
of said First Division, operated upon 
 any public highway in this State 
 where the same passes through the 
 closely built up business portions of 
 any incorporated city, town or village 
 exceeds ten (10) miles an hour, or if 
 the rate of speed of any such motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle operated on 
 any public highway in this State 
 where the same passes through the 
 residence portions of any incorporated 
 city, town or village exceeds fifteen 
 (15) miles an hour, or if the rate 
 of speed of any such motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle operated on any public 
 highway in this State outside the 
 closely built up business portions and 
 the residence portions wfithin any in¬ 
 corporated city, town or village ex¬ 
 ceeds twenty (20) miles an hour or 
 upon any public highway outside of 
 the limits of an incorporated city, 
 town or village, if the rate of speed 
 exceeds thirty (30) miles an hour, 
 such rates of speed shall be prima 
 facie evidence that the person operat¬ 
 ing such motor vehicle or motor bi¬ 
 cycle is running at a rate of speed 
 greater than is reasonable and prop¬ 
 er having regard to the traffic and 
 the use of the way or so as to en¬ 
 danger the life or limb or injure 
 the property of any person. If the 
 rate of speed of any such motor ve¬ 
 hicle or motor bicycle operated on any 
 public highway in this State in going 
 around a corner or curve in a high¬ 
 way where the operator’s view of the 
 road traffic is obstructed exceeds six 
 
 24 
 
(6) miles an hour, such rate of speed 
 shall be prima facie evidence that the 
 person operating such motor vehicle 
 or motor bicycle is running at a rate 
 of speed greater than is reasonable 
 having regard to the traffic and the 
 use of the way, or so as to endanger 
 the life or limb or injure the property 
 of any person. 
 
 § 23. The speed of all vehicles of 
 said Second Division, as described in 
 section 2 of this Act, shall always be 
 reasonable and safe and be governed, 
 as near as may be, by the general re¬ 
 quirements of section 22 of this Act, 
 but such speed shall not exceed the 
 following rates, to-wit: 
 
 (1) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of five thousand (5,000) pounds and 
 less, including the weight of the ve¬ 
 hicle and maximum load, if equipped 
 with- pneumatic tires, 25 miles per 
 hour; if equipped with two or more 
 solid rubber tires, 20 miles per hour. 
 
 (2) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than five thousand (5,000) 
 pounds and not more than twelve 
 thousand (12,000) pounds, including 
 the weight of the vehicle and maxi¬ 
 mum load, if equipped with pneumatic 
 tires, 20 miles per hour; if equipped 
 with solid rubber tires, 15 miles per 
 hour. 
 
 (3) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than twelve thousand (12,000) 
 pounds and not more than fifteen 
 thousand (15,000) pounds, including 
 the weight of the vehicle and maxi¬ 
 mum load, if equipped with pneumatic 
 
 25 
 
tires, 15 miles per hour; if equipped 
 with solid rubber tires, 12 miles per 
 hour. 
 
 (4) Vehicles having a gross weight 
 of more than fifteen thousand (15,000) 
 pounds, including the weight of the 
 vehicle and maximum load, 12 miles 
 per hour. 
 
 § 24. The above regulations in sec¬ 
 tion 23 are subject to the following 
 modifications, to-wit: 
 
 (1) Restrictions as to weight and 
 speed shall not apply to vehicles run 
 upon rails or tracks or to police 
 vehicles, fire engines, fire trucks, or 
 voluntary fire departments. 
 
 (2) Upon application to the high¬ 
 way or street officials having proper 
 jurisdiction over a particular high¬ 
 way, special permits in writing may 
 be granted for the moving of heavier 
 vehicles or objects on wheels, subject 
 to such conditions as such highway 
 or street officials may prescribe. On 
 all highways under the control of, or 
 required to be maintained in whole or 
 in part, by the State, such permission 
 shall be obtained from the Department 
 of Public Works and Buildings. 
 
 (3) At the season of the year when 
 the frost is leaving the ground, high¬ 
 way officials having proper jurisdic¬ 
 tion may, on definitely designated 
 highways, prohibit the operation of 
 vehicles having a gross weight, in¬ 
 cluding the weight of vehicle and 
 load, of more than 5,000 pounds, by 
 posting notices along such roads: 
 Provided, however, that the entire 
 
 26 
 
time of such embargo shall not exceed 
 forty-five days in any one year. 
 
 § 25. Any person driving a motor 
 vehicle or a motor bicycle upon a 
 public highway in this State in a 
 race, shall, upon conviction, be fined 
 in a sum not exceeding $200.00. 
 
 § 26. No owner of a motor vehicle 
 or motor bicycle who shall have ob¬ 
 tained a certificate from the Secretary 
 of State and paid the registration fee 
 as hereinbefore provided, shall be re¬ 
 quired by any city, village, town or 
 other municipal corporation within 
 the State other than that within which 
 said owner resides to pay any tax or 
 license fee for the use of such motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle; and no owner 
 of a motor vehicle except motor trucks 
 and motor driven commercial vehicles 
 and motor vehicles which are used 
 for public hire, or motor bicycle, who 
 shall have obtained such certificate 
 and paid such fee shall be required 
 by the city, village or town within 
 which he resides (if he resides within 
 a city, village or town), to pay a tax 
 or license fee for the use of such 
 motor vehicle or motor bicycle in ex¬ 
 cess of the sum of ten dollars per 
 annum for motor vehicles or motor 
 bicycles of thirty-five horsepower or 
 less or in excess of the sum of twenty 
 dollars per annum for motor vehicles 
 or motor bicycles of more than thirty- 
 five horsepower in such city, village 
 or town within which he resides shall 
 have a population of 150,000 or over, 
 or in excess of the sum of five dollars 
 
 27 
 
per annum for motor vehicles or motor 
 bicycles of thirty-five horsepower or 
 less or in excess of the sum of ten 
 dollars per annum for motor vehicles 
 or motor bicycles of more than thirty- 
 five horsepower in case such city, vil¬ 
 lage or town within which he resides 
 shall have a population of less than 
 150,000. The proceeds of all fees so 
 collected by any city, town or village 
 shall be used for the purpose of im¬ 
 proving, paving, repairing or main¬ 
 taining the streets and other public 
 roadways within such city, town or 
 village and shall never be devoted to 
 any other use whatever: Provided, 
 that the actual cost of the collection 
 of such fees and the disbursement 
 thereof may be deducted from the 
 total amount collected. 
 
 Nor shall such owner be required 
 to display upon his motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle any other plate or tax 
 or license number than that issued by 
 the Secretary of State or by the city, 
 village, town or other municipal cor¬ 
 poration within the State within which 
 said owner resides, nor be limited as 
 to speed upon any public street, ave¬ 
 nue, road, turnpike, driveway, park¬ 
 way, or any other public place, at any 
 time when the same is or may here¬ 
 after be opened to the use of persons 
 having or using other vehicles, nor be 
 required to comply with other pro¬ 
 visions or conditions as to the use of 
 said motor vehicles or motor bicycles 
 except as in this Act provided: Pro¬ 
 vided however, that nothing in this 
 
 28 
 
section contained shall be construed 
 to apply to, or include, any speedway 
 created, provided for, or maintained 
 by the local authorities of any city, 
 village, town or other municipal cor¬ 
 poration within the State: And, pro¬ 
 vided, further, that the local authori¬ 
 ties having jurisdiction over the pub¬ 
 lic parks shall not by the terms of 
 this Act be prohibited from adopting 
 and enforcing such reasonable ordi¬ 
 nances, rules and regulations concern¬ 
 ing the speed at which motor vehicles 
 or motor bicycles may be operated 
 within any such parks, provided the 
 rate of speed of motor vehicles or 
 motor bicycles fixed by such ordi¬ 
 nances, rules or regulations shall not 
 be lower than the rate fixed for other 
 vehicles, and provided such authority 
 shall, by signs conspicuously placed, 
 indicate the rate of speed permitted 
 by such ordinances, rules or regula¬ 
 tions: And, provided, further, that 
 motor vehicles or motor bicycles may 
 be excluded from any cemetery or 
 grounds for the burial of the dead by 
 the authorities having jurisdiction 
 over the same. Except as in this sec¬ 
 tion provided, no city, town or village 
 or other municipality shall have power 
 to make any ordinance, by-laws or 
 resolutions limiting or restricting the 
 speed of motor vehicles or motor bi¬ 
 cycles, and no ordinance, by-law or 
 resolution heretofore or hereafter 
 made by any city, village or town or 
 other municipal corporation within 
 this State, by whatever name known 
 
 29 
 
or designated, in respect to or limit¬ 
 ing the speed of motor vehicles or 
 motor bicycles shall have any force, 
 effect or validity, and they are hereby 
 declared to be of no validity or effect: 
 Provided, that nothing in this Act con¬ 
 tained shall be construed as affecting 
 the power of municipal corporations 
 to make and enforce ordinances, rules 
 and regulations affecting motor trucks 
 and motor driven commercial vehicles 
 used within their limits for public 
 hire, or from making and enforcing 
 reasonable traffic and other regula¬ 
 tions except as to rates of speed not 
 inconsistent with the provisions 
 hereof. 
 
 § 27. An application for a license to 
 operate motor vehicles as a chauffeur, 
 who is hereby defined to mean any 
 person operating a motor vehicle as a 
 mechanic or employee, and who di¬ 
 rectly or indirectly receives pay or 
 any compensation whatsoever for any 
 work or services in connection with 
 the operation of a motor vehicle or the 
 transportation of passengers or mer¬ 
 chandise with a motor vehicle for hire 
 or for pecuniary profit, shall be made 
 by mail or otherwise to the Secretary 
 of State, or his duly authorized agent, 
 upon blanks prepared under his au¬ 
 thority. The Secretary of State shall 
 appoint examiners and cause exami¬ 
 nations to be held at convenient 
 points throughout the State as often 
 as may be necessary. Such applica¬ 
 tions shall be accompanied by the fee 
 provided herein and by a photograph 
 
 30 
 
of the applicant in such numbers and 
 forms as the Secretary of State shall 
 prescribe, and such photographs shall 
 have been taken within thirty days 
 prior to the tiling of such application. 
 Such applications shall also be accom¬ 
 panied by a written statement signed 
 by at least two reputable citizens that 
 the applicant is a fit and proper per¬ 
 son, competent to operate a motor 
 vehicle. 
 
 Before such a license is granted the 
 applicant shall pass such an examina¬ 
 tion as to his qualifications as the 
 Secretary of State shall require and 
 no license shall be issued until the 
 Secretary of State, or his authorized 
 agent, is satisfied that the applicant is 
 a proper person to receive it, and no 
 chauffeur’s license shall be issued to 
 any person under eighteen years of 
 age. A distinguishing number or mark 
 shall be assigned to each chauffeur to 
 whom a license shall be issued and 
 the license shall be in such form as 
 the Secretary of State may determine; 
 it may contain special restrictions and 
 limitations concerning the type of 
 motor car, horsepower, design and 
 other features of the motor vehicle 
 which the licensee may operate. It 
 shall contain the distinguishing num¬ 
 ber or mark assigned to the licensee, 
 his name, place of residence and ad¬ 
 dress, a brief description of the li¬ 
 censee for the purpose of identification 
 and a photograph of the licensee. The 
 holder of every such license shall en¬ 
 dorse his usual signature on the mar- 
 
 31 
 
gin of the license in a space to be 
 provided for that purpose, immedi¬ 
 ately upon receipt of said license, 
 which shall not be valid until so en¬ 
 dorsed. Every application for a li¬ 
 cense filed under the provisions of this 
 section shall be sworn to and shall be 
 accompanied by a fee of $5.00. 
 
 Upon receipt of such an application, 
 the Secretary of State shall record the 
 same in his office in the manner des¬ 
 ignated for recording the owners of 
 motor vehicles, and when the appli¬ 
 cant shall have passed the examina¬ 
 tion herein provided for, the number 
 or mark assigned to such applicant, 
 together with the fact that such ap¬ 
 plicant has passed such examination, 
 shall be noted in said record, and the 
 names of the licensed chauffeurs shall 
 be furnished the county clerks, sheriffs 
 and the chiefs of police in the same 
 manner as provided for in section 8 
 in respect to owners. 
 
 No person shall operate or drive a 
 motor vehicle as a chauffeur upon a 
 public highway of this State, unless 
 such person shall have complied in 
 all respects with the requirements of 
 this section: Provided, however, that 
 a non-resident chauffeur who has reg¬ 
 istered under the provisions of the 
 law in force in the city, state, foreign 
 country or province, territory or fed¬ 
 eral district, of his residence, sub¬ 
 stantially equivalent to the provisions 
 of this section, shall be exempt from 
 license hereunder, while temporarily 
 sojourning within this State, only to 
 
 32 
 
the extent that under the laws of the 
 city, state, foreign country or province, 
 territory or federal district of his resi¬ 
 dence like privileges are granted to 
 persons duly licensed and registered 
 as chauffeurs under the laws of this 
 State, and who are residents of this 
 State. Licenses may be renewed an¬ 
 nually in the same manner as first 
 registration, upon the payment of fee 
 of $3.00, and shall take effect on the 
 first day of January of each year: 
 Provided, that if it shall be made to 
 appear to the satisfaction of the Sec¬ 
 retary of State that any chauffeur 
 shall have driven or operated a motor 
 vehicle within this State while under 
 the influence of intoxicating liquor the 
 Secretary of State shall thereupon 
 immediately cancel the license of said 
 chauffeur. Not less than three months 
 after cancellation this license may be 
 renewed at the discretion of the Sec¬ 
 retary of State. 
 
 § 28. The Secretary of State shall 
 furnish to every chauffeur so licensed 
 a suitable metal badge with the dis¬ 
 tinguishing number or mark assigned 
 to him thereon, without extra charge 
 therefor, and this badge shall be worn 
 by such chauffeur pinned upon his 
 clothing in a conspicuous place, at all 
 times while he is operating or driving 
 a motor vehicle on the public high¬ 
 ways. Said badge shall be valid only 
 during the term of the license of the 
 chauffeur to whom it is issued as 
 aforesaid. 
 
 33 
 
Upon filing in the office of the 
 Secretary of State an affidavit to the 
 effect that the original badge or cer¬ 
 tificate of registration is lost, stolen 
 or destroyed, and upon the payment 
 of a fee of fifty cents, a duplicate 
 badge or certificate of registration will 
 be furnished. 
 
 No chauffeur having been licensed 
 as herein provided shall permit any 
 other person to possess or use his 
 license or badge, nor shall any person 
 while operating or driving a motor 
 vehicle use or possess any license or 
 badge belonging to another person or 
 a fictitious license or badge. 
 
 § 29. No person or corporation shall 
 employ, as a chauffeur or operator 
 of a motor vehicle, any person not 
 specially licensed as aforesaid. 
 
 § 30. No chauffeur or other person 
 shall drive or operate any motor ve¬ 
 hicle or motor bicycle upon any street, 
 or highway in this State in the ab¬ 
 sence of the owner of such motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle without said 
 owner’s consent; and no chauffeur or 
 other person having the care of a 
 motor vehicle for the owner shall 
 receive or take directly, or indirectly, 
 any bonus, discount or other consid¬ 
 eration, for the purchase of supplies 
 or parts for such motor vehicle or 
 for work or labor done thereon by 
 others; and no person furnishing 
 such supplies or parts, work or labor, 
 shall give or offer any such chauffeur 
 or any other person having the care 
 of a motor vehicle for the owner 
 
 34 
 
thereof, either directly or indirectly, 
 any bonus, discount or other consider¬ 
 ation thereon. Any person violating 
 any of the provisions of this section 
 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and 
 upon conviction shall be fined the 
 sum not exceeding two hundred dol¬ 
 lars ($200.00), or imprisoned in the 
 county jail for a period not exceeding 
 six (6) months, or both, in the discre¬ 
 tion of the court. 
 
 § 31. No person shall operate or 
 drive a motor vehicle who is under 
 fifteen years of age, unless such per¬ 
 son is accompanied by a duly licensed 
 chauffeur or the owner of the motor 
 vehicle being operated. 
 
 § 32. Any person who shall, without 
 the consent of the owner, start or 
 cause to be started the motor of any 
 motor vehicle, or shift, change, or 
 move the levers, brake, starting de¬ 
 vice, gears, or other mechanism of a 
 standing motor vehicle to a position 
 other than that in which it was left 
 by the owner or driver thereof, or at¬ 
 tempt to do so, or shall intentionally 
 cut, mark, scratch or damage any 
 part or portion of said motor vehicle 
 or any accessories, equipment, appur¬ 
 tenance, or attachments thereof, shall, 
 upon conviction thereof, be punished 
 by a fine not exceeding one hundred 
 dollars ($100.00) or imprisonment in 
 the county jail for a period not ex¬ 
 ceeding six (6) months, or both such 
 fine and imprisonment, in the discre¬ 
 tion of the court: Provided, that this 
 section shall not apply in the case of 
 
 35 
 
moving or starting of motor vehicles 
 by the police or peace officers for law¬ 
 ful purposes, nor by members of fire 
 departments in cases of emergency in 
 the vicinity of a fire, nor to the chang¬ 
 ing of a position of said motor vehicle 
 temporarily without starting the 
 motor of the same by any one for the 
 purpose of extricating another vehicle 
 from a congested position. 
 
 § 33. All vehicles traveling upon 
 public highways shall give the right 
 of way to other vehicles approaching 
 along intersecting highways from the 
 right, and shall have the right of way 
 over those approaching from the left: 
 Provided, however, that police vehi¬ 
 cles, fire departments, vehicles trans¬ 
 porting United States mail, and am¬ 
 bulances shall have the right of 
 way over other vehicles: And, pro¬ 
 vided, also, that incorporated cities, 
 having a population of more than 
 10,000 inhabitants, may designate 
 certain streets or boulevards as pre¬ 
 ferential traffic streets, and prescribe 
 rules regulating traffic upon, crossing 
 over, or turning into such streets or 
 boulevards: And, provided, further, 
 that the specifications regulating traf¬ 
 fic may be enforced at points where 
 traffic officers are stationed. No 
 driver of a vehicle shall suddenly 
 stop, slow down or attempt to turn 
 around without first signalling his 
 intentions without outstretched arm to 
 those following closely in the rear. 
 
 § 34. Any person or persons who 
 shall destroy or cause to be destroyed, 
 
 36 
 
remove, cover, alter or deface, or 
 cause to be removed, covered, altered 
 or defaced, the engine number or 
 other distinguishing number of any 
 motor vehicle in this State, the prop¬ 
 erty of another, for any reason what¬ 
 soever, or who shall give a wrong 
 description in an application for the 
 registration of any motor vehicle in 
 this State for the purpose of conceal¬ 
 ing or hiding theidentity of Such 
 motor vehicle, shall be deemed guilty 
 of a felony, and upon conviction there¬ 
 of shall be punished by imprisonment 
 in the State penitentiary for a term 
 of not less than one year nor more 
 than five years. 
 
 § 35. Any person or persons, firm 
 or corporation, who, after the taking 
 effect of this Act shall sell or offer 
 for sale in this State, or who shall 
 own or have the custody or possession 
 of a motor vehicle, the original en¬ 
 gine number of which has been de¬ 
 stroyed, removed, altered, covered, or 
 defaced, or who shall sell or offer for 
 sale, own or have the custody or 
 possession of a motor vehicle having 
 no engine' number, excepting electri¬ 
 cally propelled motor vehicles, shall 
 be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, 
 and upon conviction thereof shall be 
 punished by a fine of not less than 
 two hundred dollars ($200.00) nor 
 more than five hundred dollars 
 ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the 
 county jail for a term of not less than 
 thirty days nor more than one hun- 
 
 37 
 
dred eighty days, or by both such fine 
 and imprisonment, and upon a second 
 conviction under this section the pun¬ 
 ishment shall be imprisonment in the 
 penitentiary for a term not less than 
 one year nor more than five years; 
 Provided, that any person or persons, 
 firm or corporation, being the owner 
 or custodian of or having possession 
 of a motor vehicle at the time of the 
 taking effect of this Act, the original 
 engine number of which had been 
 previously destroyed, removed, altered 
 or defaced, shall before the expiration 
 of thirty days after the taking effect 
 of this Act apply to the Secretary of 
 State, on a blank to be prepared and 
 furnished by the Secretary of State, 
 upon request, for permission to make 
 or stamp, or cause to be made 
 or stamped on the engine of such 
 motor vehicle a special engine num¬ 
 ber. The application for permission 
 to make or stamp a special engine 
 number on the engine of a motor ve¬ 
 hicle under the provisions of this 
 Act shall contain a description of such 
 motor vehicle, including the make, 
 style and year of model of the same, 
 as complete a description of the origi¬ 
 nal engine number, if any part of the 
 same remains, as is possible to give, 
 any distinguishing marks that may 
 be on the engine or body of such 
 motor vehicle, and the name and post- 
 office address of the applicant, the 
 date on which he purchased or pro¬ 
 cured possession of the same, the 
 name and postoffice address of the 
 
 38 
 
person or persons from whom he 
 purchased such motor vehicle, and 
 such information as the Secretary 
 of State may require, all of which de¬ 
 scription and facts shall be sworn to 
 by said applicant. - Upon receipt of 
 such application, together with a fee 
 of one dollar ($1.00), the Secretary of 
 State shall issue to said applicant 
 written permission to make or stamp 
 on the engine of such motor vehicle 
 a special engine number to be desig¬ 
 nated by the Secretary of State, and 
 when subh special engine number so 
 designated has been stamped or other¬ 
 wise placed on the engine of such 
 motor vehicle, it shall become and 
 thereafter be the lawful, engine num¬ 
 ber of such motor vehicle for the pur¬ 
 poses of identification and registration 
 and for all other purposes under the 
 provisions of this Act, and the owner 
 thereof may sell and transfer the 
 same under said special engine num¬ 
 ber so designated by the Secretary 
 of State; and any person or persons 
 who shall destroy, remove, cover, alter 
 or deface any special engine number 
 so designated by the Secretary of 
 State shall be deemed guilty of a 
 felony, and upon conviction thereof, 
 shall be punished by imprisonment in 
 the State penitentiary for a term of 
 not less than one year nor more than 
 five years. 
 
 It shall be the duty of every sheriff, 
 deputy sheriff, constable, chief of po¬ 
 lice or other peace officer in this State 
 having knowledge of a motor vehicle, 
 
 39 
 
tne engine number of which has been 
 destroyed, removed, covered, altered 
 or defaced, to immediately seize and 
 take possession of such motor vehicle, 
 arrest the supposed owner and cus¬ 
 todian thereof, and cause prosecution 
 to be brought in a court of competent 
 jurisdiction. It shall be the duty of 
 the court to retain the custody of said 
 motor vehicle pending the prosecution 
 of the person arrested,, and in case 
 such person shall be found guilty said 
 motor vehicle shall remain in the 
 custody of the court until the fine and 
 costs of prosecution shall be paid. In 
 which event the court shall deliver 
 said motor vehicle to such supposed 
 owner or custodian for the sole pur¬ 
 pose of removing said engine from 
 said motor vehicle and tearing apart 
 said engine and disposing of same for 
 junk. In case such fine and costs shall 
 not be paid within thirty days from 
 the date of the rendition of judgment 
 said court shall proceed to advertise 
 and sell said motor vehicle in the 
 manner provided by law for the sale 
 of personal property under execution. 
 Such advertisement shall contain, as 
 nearly as may be, as full a description 
 of such motor vehicle as is prescribed 
 by section 8 of this Act in case of an 
 application for license, and a copy of 
 such advertisement shall be mailed to 
 the Secretary of State. The proceeds 
 of such sale shall be applied on the 
 payment of the fine and costs of such 
 prosecution and sale, and if after the 
 payment of the same there shall be 
 
 40 
 
any sum remaining, such sum shall be 
 paid by the court to such supposed 
 owner or custodian of such motor ve¬ 
 hicle. The purchaser of said motor 
 vehicle shall remove said engine from 
 said motor vehicle and shall tear the 
 same apart and shall not dispose of 
 it as a whole or so that it might be 
 thereafter used as an engine in any 
 motor vehicle. If at any time while 
 such motor vehicle remains in the 
 custody of the court or officer, the true 
 owner shall appear and establish his 
 title thereto, to the satisfaction of the 
 court in which such prosecution is 
 brought, the same shall be returned 
 to such owner, who shall have the 
 original engine number restored and 
 may thereafter use the same upon 
 notifying the Secretary of State of 
 the facts and obtaining a license 
 therefor in accordance with this Act 
 if he has not such a license. 
 
 In designating special engine num¬ 
 bers for motor vehicles under the pro¬ 
 visions of this Act, the Secretary of 
 State shall designate and number the 
 same consecutively, beginning with 
 the number one, preceded by the let¬ 
 ters “S. O. S.” and followed by the 
 letters “Ill.” for each and every make 
 of motor vehicle for which application 
 for a special engine number shall be 
 made, and in the order of the filing 
 of application therefor: Provided, that 
 from and after the going into effect 
 of this Act, the Secretary of State 
 shall not register any motor vehicle 
 without an engine number or issue a 
 
 41 
 
license for the operation of the same, 
 except as specifically provided for 
 herein. 
 
 § 36. All moneys received by the 
 Secretary of State as registration fees 
 and for the examination and licensing 
 of chauffeurs, as provided in this Act, 
 shall be deposited in the State treas¬ 
 ury and set apart as a special fund to 
 be known as the Road Fund. The 
 Road Fund shall, if and when the 
 State of Illinois shall incur any 
 bonded indebtedness for the construc¬ 
 tion of permanent highways, be set 
 aside and used for the purpose of pay¬ 
 ing and discharging annually the 
 principal and interest on such bonded 
 indebtedness then due and payable, 
 and for no other purpose, and the sur¬ 
 plus, if any, after the payment of the 
 principal and interest on such bonded 
 indebtedness then annually due, shall 
 be used for the improvement of the 
 highways of the State in accordance 
 with the provisions of Article IV of 
 an Act entitled, “An Act to revise the 
 law in relation to roads and bridges,” 
 approved June 27, 1913, in force July 
 1, 1913, or in accordance with the pro¬ 
 visions of the Federal Aid Road Act, 
 or both of such Acts, and all Acts 
 amendatory thereof. 
 
 § 37. It is hereby made the duty of 
 each and every person, firm, associa¬ 
 tion, corporation, or co-partnership 
 operating a public garage in this 
 State, to keep for public inspection a 
 record of the license numbers and 
 engine numbers of all motor vehicles 
 
 42 
 
taken in or held in charge by said 
 garage for the purpose of selling, 
 rental, livery, storage or repair. Said 
 record shall contain the name and ad¬ 
 dress of the owner of the motor ve¬ 
 hicle, the name and address of the 
 person delivering or taking the motor 
 vehicle to the garage, and the license 
 number and the engine number there¬ 
 of. The alteration or obliteration of 
 said engine number shall be prima 
 facia evidence of larceny of said motor 
 vehicle, and the proprietor, agents, 
 servants or employees, immediately 
 upon the discovery of such obliteration 
 or alteration, shall notify the sheriff 
 and police officers of the proper 
 county, or the city, town or village 
 where such garage is situated, and 
 shall hold said motor vehicle for a 
 period of twenty-four hours, or until 
 investigation shall have been made by 
 the sheriff or police officers: Provided, 
 however, such record need not be 
 made w T hen a motor vehicle is taken 
 in or held in charge a second time, for 
 regular storage. 
 
 § 38. Any person, firm, association, 
 corporation or co-partnership found 
 guilty, personally or by agent, of vio¬ 
 lating any of the provisions of section 
 37 of this Act shall be fined in any 
 sum, not less than one hundred dollars 
 ($100.00) nor more than five hundred 
 dollars ($500 00) and the costs of 
 prosecution and shall stand committed 
 to the county jail until said fine and 
 the costs of prosecution are paid or 
 otherwise discharged according to law. 
 
 43 
 
§ 39. Whoever steals any moter ve¬ 
 hicle of a value greater than fifteen 
 dollars ($15.00), or receives or buys 
 any motor vehicle, knowing the same 
 to have been stolen, with intent, by 
 such receiving or buying, to defraud 
 the owner, or conceals any moter ve¬ 
 hicle knowing the same to have been 
 stolen, shall be fined in any sum 
 not exceeding five hundred dollars 
 ($500.00) and be imprisoned in the 
 State penitentiary not less than two 
 years nor more than fifteen years. 
 
 § 40. Upon approaching a person 
 walking upon or along a public high¬ 
 way, or a horse or horses, or other 
 draft or domestic animal or animals 
 being ridden, led or driven thereon, 
 thG operator of a motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle shall give reasonable 
 warning of his approach and use every 
 reasonable precaution to avoid injur¬ 
 ing such person, or frightening or in¬ 
 juring such horse, horses, or other 
 draft or domestic animal or animals, 
 and, if necessary, stop his said motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle until he can 
 safely proceed, and in case of any in¬ 
 jury to a person or property on the 
 public highways, due to the presence 
 or operation of a motor vehicle or 
 motor bicycle, the operator of such 
 vehicle shall stop and, upon the re¬ 
 quest of a person injured or any per¬ 
 son present, give his name and ad¬ 
 dress, and, if not the owner of such 
 motor vehicle or motor bicycle, to¬ 
 gether with his own name, the name 
 and address of such owner. 
 
 44 
 
Whenever a person operating a 
 motor vehicle shall meet on a public 
 highway any other person riding or 
 driving a horse or other draft animal, 
 or any other vehicle, the person so 
 operating such motor vehicle or ve¬ 
 hicles, or riding or driving a horse or 
 other draft animal, shall each season¬ 
 ably turn to the right of the center 
 of the beaten track of such highway 
 so as to pass without interference. 
 Any such person so operating a motor 
 vehicle or motor bicycle shall, on 
 overtaking any such horse, draft ani¬ 
 mal or other vehicle, pass on the left 
 side thereof, and the rider or driver 
 of such horse, draft animal or other 
 vehicle shall, as soon as practicable, 
 upon signal, turn to the right of the 
 center of the beaten track of such 
 highway so as to allow free passage 
 on the left. Any such person so 
 operating a motor vehicle shall, at the 
 intersection of public highways, keep 
 to the right of the center of such 
 intersection of such highway when 
 turning to the right and pass to the 
 right of the center of such intersection 
 when turning to the left. 
 
 In approaching or passing a street 
 railway car, which has been stopped 
 for the purpose of receiving or dis¬ 
 charging passengers, the operator of 
 every motor vehicle or motor bicycle 
 shall not drive such vehicle or bicycle 
 within ten feet of the running board 
 or lowest step of such car, except by 
 the express direction of a traffic of¬ 
 ficer. 
 
 45 
 
§ 41. Any person who shall drive or 
 operate a motor vehicle or motor bi¬ 
 cycle upon any public highway of this 
 State while drunk or intoxicated, 
 shall, upon conviction thereof, for 
 each offense, be punished by a fine of 
 not more than two hundred dollars, 
 or by imprisonment in the county jail 
 for a period not exceeding sixty days 
 or by both such fine and imprison¬ 
 ment. 
 
 § 42. Nothing in this Act shall be 
 construed to curtail or abridge the 
 right of any person to prosecute a 
 civil action for damages by reason of 
 injuries to person or property result¬ 
 ing from the negligent use of the 
 highways by the driver or operator 
 of a motor vehicle or motor bicycle or 
 its owner or his employee or agent, 
 and in any action brought to recover 
 any damages for injury either to per¬ 
 son or property caused by running 
 any motor vehicle or motor bicycle at 
 a rate of speed greater than is reason¬ 
 able and proper having regard for the 
 traffic and the use of the way, or so 
 as to endanger the life or limb or 
 injure the property of any person, the 
 plaintiff or plaintiffs shall be deemed 
 to have made out a prima■ facie case 
 by showing the fact of such injury 
 and that the person or persons driv¬ 
 ing such motor vehicle or motor bi¬ 
 cycle was at the time of such injury 
 running the same at a speed greater 
 than was reasonable and proper hav¬ 
 ing regard for the traffic and the use 
 of the way or so as to endanger the 
 
 46 
 
life or limb or injure the property 
 of any person. 
 
 §43. Any person wilfully violating 
 the provisions of this Act shall, ex¬ 
 cept as otherwise provided herein, 
 upon conviction, be fined in a sum not 
 to exceed the amount hereinafter set 
 forth. 
 
 For the violation of sections 8, 14, 
 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28 and 40, or 
 any of them, twenty-five dollars. 
 
 For a violation of section 22, two 
 hundred dollars ($200.00). 
 
 For the violation of any section or 
 provision for which no specific penalty 
 is provided, one hundred dollars 
 $ 100 . 00 ). 
 
 Provided, that any offender who 
 shall have been found guilty of a vio¬ 
 lation of any section of this Act and 
 fined therefor, and who shall there¬ 
 after be convicted of a second viola¬ 
 tion of such section, may be fined in a 
 sum not exceeding double the penalty 
 herein provided for a first offense, and 
 in addition thereto may have his certi¬ 
 ficate or license issued by the Secre¬ 
 tary of State revoked for a period 
 not exceeding three months, and for 
 a third or subsequent violation of the 
 same section of this Act the certifi¬ 
 cate or, license may, in addition to 
 the fine provided for the second of¬ 
 fense, be revoked for a period not 
 exceeding six months. Any person 
 whose license shall have been revoked 
 for a violation of any of the provis¬ 
 ions of this Act and who shall drive 
 or operate a motor vehicle or motor 
 
 47 
 
bicycle within the State of Illinois, 
 during the period for which his said 
 license shall have been revoked or 
 any person who, having once been 
 convicted of a failure to comply with 
 the provisions of this Act requiring 
 a registration of motor vehicles or 
 motor bicycles or the examination and 
 licensing of chauffeurs shall fail or 
 refuse to comply with said provisions, 
 shall be deemed guilty • of a misde¬ 
 meanor and on conviction may be 
 fined in a sum not to exceed two 
 hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the 
 county jail for a period not exceeding 
 thirty (30) days, or both, in the dis¬ 
 cretion of the court. All fines im¬ 
 posed for violation of any of the 
 provisions of this Act shall be paid to 
 the treasurer of the highway commis¬ 
 sioners of the township or road dis¬ 
 trict in which the offense is com¬ 
 mitted by the justice of the peace, 
 clerk of the court, or other officer to 
 whom the amount of such fines shall 
 be by law required to be paid by the 
 constable, bailiff, sheriff, or other 
 officer named in any execution, issued 
 for the collection of the same, and 
 all money so received by the treasurer 
 of the highway commissioners, shall 
 be used in repairing and improving 
 the roads within such township or 
 road district. And it shall be the 
 duty of the Department of Public 
 Works and Buildings, Chief Highway 
 Engineer, county superintendent of 
 highways and commissioners of high¬ 
 ways to seasonably prosecute for all 
 
 48 
 
fines and penalties under this Act: 
 Provided, however, that whenever any 
 such violation shall occur within the 
 limits of any city, village or incor¬ 
 porated town, or within the jurisdic¬ 
 tion of any board of park commis¬ 
 sioners, wherein no commissioners of 
 highways exist or have jurisdiction, 
 in such case all fines imposed for the 
 violation of any of the provisions of 
 this Act shall be paid to the treasurer . 
 of such city, village, or incorporated 
 town or to the park commissioners 
 within whose jurisdiction the offense 
 is committed, by the justice of the 
 peace, clerk of the court, or other 
 officer to whom the amount of such 
 fines shall be by law required to be 
 paid by the constable, bailiff, sheriff, 
 or other officer named in any execu¬ 
 tion issued for the collection of the 
 same, and all money so received by 
 the treasurer of such city, village or 
 incorporated town, or park commis¬ 
 sioners, shall be used in repairing 
 and improving the roads or streets 
 within such city, village, incorported 
 town or park; and in such cases it 
 shall be the duty of the police officers 
 and officials of cities, villages, incor¬ 
 porated towns and parks to prosecute 
 for all fines and penalties under this 
 Act. The Secretary of State, for the 
 purpose of more effectively carrying 
 out the provisions of this Act is here¬ 
 by authorized and empowered to ap¬ 
 point special representatives to act as 
 automobile and motor bicycle investi¬ 
 gators, in such numbers and for such 
 
 49 
 
localities as he may deem advisable 
 said investigators to serve without 
 compensation. 
 
 § 44. Public highways shall include 
 any highway, county road, State road, 
 public street, avenue, alley, parkway, 
 driveway or public place in any coun¬ 
 ty, city, village, incorporated town or 
 towns. Local authorities shall include 
 all officers of counties, cities, villages, 
 incorporated towns, towns or road 
 districts as well as all boards, com¬ 
 mittees and other public officials of 
 such counties, cities, villages, incor¬ 
 porated towns, or road districts. 
 
 § 45. The Secretary of State, or his 
 authorized agent, may, at his discre¬ 
 tion, dispose of, destroy, or cause to 
 be destroyed, applications for licenses, 
 examination papers, correspondence, 
 or any other records which have been 
 on file in the office of said Secretary 
 of State for a period of five years or 
 more. 
 
 § 46. An Act entitled, “An Act de¬ 
 fining motor vehicles and providing 
 for the registration of the same, and 
 of motor bicycles, and uniform rules 
 regulating the use and speed there¬ 
 of; prohibiting the use of motor 
 vehicles without the consent of the 
 owner, and the offer or acceptance of 
 any bonus or discount, or other con¬ 
 sideration, for the purchase of sup¬ 
 plies or parts for any such motor 
 vehicle, or for work or repairs done 
 thereon by others, and defining chauf¬ 
 feurs, and providing for the examina¬ 
 tion and licensing thereof, and to 
 
 50 
 
repeal certain Acts therein named/’ 
 approved June 10, 1911, in force July 
 1, 1911, as amended, is repealed. 
 
 § 47. This Act shall take effect and 
 be in force on and after the first day 
 of January, 1920. 
 
 Approved June 30, 1919. 
 
 51