Evening star., 1926-09-15
Compulsory Auto Liability
Insurance Widely Demanded

Demand is being made in many
States for the enactment of laws
which would require motor car own
ers to take out liability insurance to
provide adequate compensation for
victims of reckless driving. 1t is ad'
mitted in comment that there is oppo-
sition to the plan from some insur.
ance companies and motor interests,
| but the urgent need of such protec-
ton for the public Is rather generally
held to more than offset any objec-
ton. The adoption of law in Massa-
chusetts is held up as an example.
In that State an official table OF rates
is issued, but the business is con-
Quoted by private companies.
Existing conditions are intoler-
able" in the judgment of the Chicago
| Tribune, which directs attention 10
the situation in Illinois, where many
more than half of the automobile ac'
cidents are caused by drivers who
have no responsibility" AS to feast
bility. the Tribune says: The pro-
nosal for compulsory liability lnsur-
ance has been made before and mas
been opposed from two sources. Inc
insurance companies fear that the
state will go into the liability bust
mass to the injury Of private enter
prise in the field. They point out
that experiments in State insurance
have generally proved costly. eltner
| to the State or to the insured. Inc
automobile trade has joined the Oppo-
sition because of fear that compulsory
| insurance, by adding to the cost OF
automobile ownership, Will limit tne
market, particularly Tor expenslve
cars. Neither of these objections
strikes us as valid. Compulsory In
surance does not imply State insur-
ance. Far from taking business away
from the insurance companies, the
proposed law would add enormously
| to the volume. The cost of insurance,
we believe, would not he large enough
to discourage many prospective pur'
| chasers of automobiles.
= 4 X
"Anv one who is abroad in the
night. or in the day, for that matter,
argues the Memphis News-Scimitar
| "cannot fail to be impressed with the
recklessness Of those who appear 10
be financially irresponsible for any
damage they may do. Aside from the
benefits or disadvantages that might
accrue to the insurance people, there
| is a deeper obligation to compel ire
sponsible persons to assume RESPONSE
| bility for their acts. When driver
| predisposed to recklessness realizes
| that he is likely to be denied insur-
ance. and therefore the right to oper'
ate a car, public safety will be greatly
| enhanced" The Salt Lake Deseret
News also declares that "even If the
trade did lose a few customers by de
| priving the unfit of the right to
| operate a machine, the community
would be the gamer. After all, the
general welfare and public safety are
| of the greatest Importance and should
receive the first consideration. Com
pulsory insurance would secure re
Enumeration for damage to property
| and personal injury and it would
therefore go a long way toward remov
ing a grave injustice"
| Commenting on the law which viii
| go into effect in Massachusetts at the
| opening of 1927. the Boston Traveller
| states: mo one can predict what will
| be the effect of the law on the mum
ber of accidents. Under the most sue
| cessful working of the statute careful
| driving would be promoted and in sub
sequent years the rates would be low
cred. But IL insurance should pro
| mote carelesSneSs, as it sometimes
does, the rates may have to be raised
| for the next year or two until this
tendency can be checked by weed
ing out the outfit. It is expected thai
| the new law, by creating an enormou:
| volume of business, will reduce the
overhead costs greatly. On the Other
hand, the companies will assume many