ART. 56] MOTOR VEHICLES. 723

an hour. The maximum rate of speed of all traction engines or other
iron tired engines, shall be six miles an hour. No motor vehicle in
excess of ninety inches in width, except traction engines, shall be
operated on any highway of this State, and no traction engine in excess
of one hundred inches in width shall be operated on any such highway,
nor shall any motor vehicle be so operated in which the limit of load
per inch in width of .tire shall exceed eight hundred pounds, without
the special permission of the State Roads Commission in the case of a
road under its jurisdiction, or the permission of the city authorities in
the case of a city street, or the permission of the county authorities in
the case of a county highway, and no motor vehicles, of which the
weight of the truck and the load combined, exceeds fourteen tons, shall
be operated on any highway in this State. No speed contest or contests
shall be, under any circumstances, allowed or take place upon any
highway of this State. If the rate of speed of a motor vehicle or motor-
cycle, operated upon any public highway of this State exceeds twelve
miles per hour in the thickly settled or business parts of cities, towns
or villages, or eighteen miles per hour in the outlying or not thickly
settled parts of cities, towns or villages, or twenty-five miles per hour
in the open country outside of the limits of cities, towns or villages, or
if the rate of speed of any motor vehicle used only for the transporta-
tion of merchandise shall exceed the maximum limit above prescribed,
such rate of speed shall be prima facie evidence that the person operat-
ing such vehicle is operating the same at a rate of speed greater than
is reasonable and proper, and in violation of the provision of this Sec-
tion, and the burden of proof shall be upon him to show that such rate
of speed was not greater than was reasonable and proper, as above set
forth. And no motor vehicle shall be operated upon any highway of
this State at a rate of speed greater than thirty-five miles per hour
under any circumstances or conditions, under penalty of a fine of not
less than twenty-five dollars or more than one hundred dollars, and
suspension of the operator's license for not less than three months, if,
upon a hearing had after notice as elsewhere provided in this sub-title,
the commissioner of motor vehicles shall determine that such rate of
speed was in fact exceeded.

Nothing in this section or any other section of this sub-title shall be
taken in any way to add to or detract from the right of any person
injured in his person or property by the negligent operation of a motor
vehicle to sue and recover damages as in the case of the negligent use
or operation of other vehicles, and the violation of any provision of this
sub-title shall not be taken to give any right of action to any individual
who would not be entitled to the same in the absence of such provision.
For warrants under this section, see Crichton v. State. 115 Md. 425. .
A damage suit for injuries growing out of a collision between two auto-
mobiles, the issues being based on this section and sections 145 and 154.
Correct prayers. Evidence. Bregenzer v. Hutzler, 121 Md. 386.
See section 160.