The Locomotive Act 1865 stipulated that any self-propelled road vehicle had to be preceded by a person walking at least 60 yards ahead, carrying a red flag. Rhodri Marsden.

In the late 19th century, motor vehicles — which had not yet reached widespread use — were regulated in the U.K. by a series of laws called the Locomotives Acts. The 1865 Locomotives Act, in ...

The Locomotive Act of 1861 restricted highway speed to 10mph or 5mph in towns. The Act also required each vehicle to have a crew of two. The Locomotive Act 1865 (the so-called Red Flag Act) required ...

The requirement began with the Locomotives Act of 1865 which stated: “One of such persons, while any locomotive is in motion, shall precede such locomotive on foot by not less than sixty yards, ...

1865: Locomotive Act provides for man with red flag walking 60 yards ahead of self-propelled machine to warn horse-drawn traffic. 1878: Legislation amended to make flag optional and reduces ...

The Locomotive Act 1865 became known as the Red Flag Act, thanks to its extraordinary stipulation that any self-propelled vehicle had to be preceded by a person walking at least 60 yards ahead, ...