Evening star., 1923-02-11
URGES MOTORISTS
TOCURB ACCIDENTS
MARYLAND Motor Vehicle
Chief Declares Public Should
Be Protected.
Snsrial Dispatrh to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
: BALTIMORE, February S.-"What
can be done between the commis-
sioncr of motor vehicles. ana lhe
automobile owners OF Maryland "
Increase the efficiency or motor
vehicle regulation i'm this state! IAN
the car owner and operator assist IN
this Improvement of conditions? Anu
has the owner and operator
responsibiiity in this connection joint
" with the commissioner: asks MotoF
r.nIcle Commissioner L. Austin Baugh-
man in a signed article in the Bait
r,ore Sun.
"The responsible and reliable type
Of automobile owners ana opeIatols
constitute a class to which l address
this query. The joyrider. the opera
tor who drives Il car while under tne
influence of liquor. the constitutional
reckless driver. while not always on
he same mental and social plane as
ere car thief. | am compelled 10
eliminate from the class mentioned
lbove-responsibl and reliable own
ars and operators.
Owners Responsibility.
III is in connection with this diff
Ference in type that ] feel the rellaple
and responsible owner ana operauoa
"
enforcement of motor vehicle reguia-
tionS in Maryland.
''F'ricndship for an acquaIntanee
who has gotten into dlftculties
Vehicle law ofttimes blinds an owner
or operator who, himself. Is care1ul
ALWAYS to observe the law, to the
necessity of prompt. and in hasrant
Violations. drastic punishment
at is not an uncommon thing lot
representative of this department TO
encounter feigned ignorance OF CIR
uumStances surrounding an accident
which amounts almost to an oostruc-
ton Of justice. This situation many
times arises where this department
Is certain that the operator or owner
being interviewed could. if he or she
would furnish Information when
would make possible prompt PUNISH
he offender or hesitancy to get some
bod, into trouble is the not-always-
unnatural motive for this attitude
"Fricndship and loyalty, While eN,
ccllcnt human qualities, can. ana !
tcSret to say. many times are. car
rid TO extremes in, this connection.
Automobile ownership and operation
,u the highways Of Maryland Is m
cr,asiuC almost by leaps and bounds
l..sultine added congestion is null
iinlvinc the traffic hazards in ever
Increasing ratio. Without the whole
hearted cooperation of thoushtIui
motorists who are themselves carerui
sr'ycrs. this departments problems
Wth Il limited force of road othcers
ran he. indeed. / may say, is being
tasdlessly multiplied.
Il would not be understood as say :
ing that this department received no
rorlplaiutS from motorists. nor tnat
In Il great number of instances, mo-
tor,sts are not willing 10 TESTIFY
against each other.
ANONYMOUS Complaints.
'Ir an appreciable number of IN
s+ances however. the complaining s
motorists enthusiasm for prosecution
has back of il an interest In recover
ing damages for the wrecklng or ms
own car. Such cases where tranlc
yiola tion has occurred are sladiS
prose cuted.
AN equal amount of enthusiasm
where the guilty operator has oniH
endangered the lives of the pedes-
trians and other operators tnrousn
reckless or drunken driving. Dut Nd ;
not actually hurt any one. is not al
ways encountered. In many Instances
complain are made anonymously
To p-otcct motorists from malicious
and irrcsponSiVe charges or Nioldtloh
cannot TOO strongly urge that per-
sons making complaints be honcst
enough tn assume responsibility Tor
their charges and sign their names
to their communications. The poltcE
of this department Is to disregard
ANONYMOUS complaints.