Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19
COMPULSORY INSURANCE
FOR AUTOISTS. FACES TEST
Massachusetts Plan Will Cut Accidents.
-
Proponents Declare, While Motorists
Fear High Cost. -,~.'

chief argument advanced against eae,
forced insurance-that IL will make
drivers more careless-is baseless and
will be proved so once the Ray State
applies its new statute. The next
year he says. will show a 25 per cent
reduction in the number of accidents.
His argument. simply. Is this: :
Drivers will realize that to get and
retain insurance their records must
be reasonably good. Consequently.
they are now. exercising greater care.
to see that nothing in the form Of am
accident rises to make an insurance
company too skeptical of them as
risks
Underwriters, starting upon a ven-
ture that is in some respects new will
he more ca utious in issuing policies to
applicants who have been involved in
accidents. and such persons may find
it hard to comply with the law.
This IL the point which Mr.. Goodwin
believes no driver can miss-that the
man whose record Is such that he can
not get insurance cannot get permits
sion to drive a vehicle on the high
ways of Massachusetts.
High Cost Foreseen.
The burden that Massachusetts mo
florists will hear from a financial i"
standpoint seems rather staggering at
first glance. 1t is estimated by the
State Insurance Commission. which
Is working on this phase of the new
law. that it will cost irom $50, 0oo, 900
TO $40,000.O00 TO register the automo-
biles in the State next year. The rate
question, still to be solved. is one that
is watched with particularly keen in
terest.
First estimates place the cost At
from $50 70 $50 for each car. largely
because of the great number Of com
paratively unknown risks that the in
surance companies must assume. An
peal TO the courts by the motorist who
regards the rates as excessive Is pro
vided in the bill as passed by the State
Legislature
The cost TO motor owners is the req
pinch of the law. automobile dealers
argue. The expense. while apparently
not great, will have the effect Of driv-
ing from 10000 to 10000 cars OF,
the road. they say. Thousands of cars
are being used on MaSsac husetts roads
for which their owners paid sma II =
sums. These will be unable to raise
the money necessary to assure them
Of remaining in the ranks Of motor.
dom.
Industry Watching Closely.
MS phase or the Bay state regulA- q,
ton is one that is being watched with
the keenest interest by the automobile
industry. If the expense of acquiring
obligatory protection is so great as tn
reduce the registration of motor cars
in one State by a large number. what
will happen if other State legislatures
follow the example of Massachusetts?
1t is certainty that the automobile
industry would not sit with folded
hands while it saw its market being
swept away by tide of such legisla:
tion-at least until it has been proved =.
that a law of this kind had real value
in protecting human life.
Connecticut has a law somewhat ,
akin to that Of her neighbor 1t re-.
duires compulsory insurance. but ONLY
i'll the case of those who have been
convicted of infraction of the motor
vehicle laws involving accidents. The
act became effective last January !
and has been invoked so far against
1000 motorists
Motor Vehicle Commissioner Stoe-
excl of the Nutmeg States declares the
law has proved itself an invaluable
weapon against the careless driver.
At the same time. he intimates that
the scope Of the regulation may be
broadened at the next session Of the .
Legislature.
The broad provisions or the Bav
State law are unmatched by any
other. They may prove the panacea
for Americas highway ills. Again,
they may not.
They are At least the first of thei,
kind and the eyes OF the Nation are.
upon them. The old question that has
been argued so hotley rs bout to be
answered-one way or another.
tCOpyright 1921