Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28
CONNECTICUT PLAN
FIXES LIABILITY
Financial Responsibility Law
Experiment to Eliminate
irresponsible.

An experiment designed to effect
the gradual elimination of irrespon-
sible motorists from Connecticut high
ways is now under way in that State.
Under what is known as the "finan-
cial responsibility law" passed in 1925
by the General Assembly, all persons
who have been convicted of reckless
driving, speeding, driving while in
toXicated, or evading responsibility, or
who have caused the death or per-
sonal injury of any person or property
damage of 500. may be required to
qualify themselves to settle for any
damage they may do or forfeit regis
tration of their cars. Persons with
good driving records are exempt.
The financial responsibility required
is at least $40 900 in cases of death or
injury, and $1,000 for property dam
age. The requirement may be salts
fed by insurance, surety bond, or de-
post of cash or collateral with the
State treasurer.
Will Enforce Law.
Robbins b. Stocked, commissioner
Of motor vehicles, has announced his
intention to enforce the new law
strictly. If 1t works as expected, he
says, the percentage of financially re-
gradually. 1t is his hope that the
law will deter registrants from allow
ing unqualified or unauthorized per-
sons to use their cars.
1.-The regiStrant is the one who will
be held responsible for financial quail
fication If the car while in unauthor
lied control is in an accident or if the
driver thereof is disciplined he said
80 1t is expected that after some ex-
perience with the operation of the act
each registrant will become more care
full about the persons in control of his
car and will demand exact knowledge
as to the plans of the person or per
sons into whose hands the car is de
livered or to whom it is loaned
He does not expect administration to
be difficult. The law will be enforced
by a special section of the motor We
hicle department, assisted by members
of the State police. A fine of $25 is
authorized for persons failing to re-
turn their registration certificates and
license numbers when required to do
so. The department already has the
records necessary for application of
the law.
Application Records Available.
I'm Connecticut there are in exist
ence ready for consultation some So.
Geo operators records which describe
accidents and convictions of Connect
cut licensed operators and of those
operators of other States who have
been concerned in Connecticut diScip-
line covering period of eight years"
said Mr.. Stocked, 80 that at any
time the application of a person for
qualification can be investigated by
consultation of records.
This particular financial qualifica-
ton law is intended to give discipline
to the State over a registrant similar
to the control which it already has
over an operator. 1t seems to be true
that most operators are registrants as
well. For 1925 to December ] there
were 259,047 operators and 253,S78
registrants. Wherever an operator Is
a registrant as well the operator s
driving record can be used-that it, in
fully 80 per cent of all cases.
''Forty-tWo per cent of Connecticut
motor vehicle registrants are already
insured. This, according to the best
statistics obtainable, is the biggest