Evening star., 1927-10-23
COMPULSORY AUTO
INSURANCE UPHELD
BY STATE OFFICIAL S

Continued from First Page)
perately dangerous driving the min.
ute responsibility for such driving
was transferred from the individual
to the insurance company. the State
offers figures to show that fatalities
have been reduced since the, law
went into effect. August, taken as a
typical month, shows decrease OF IL
in highway deaths over the same
month in 1926 and % fewer than oc-
CURED during the identical period in
1925, when $4,000 fewer cars were
registered.
According to Register Goodwin,
the. ratio of reported accidents
involving personal injury in proper.
ton 10 the number Of registrations of
motor vehicles also is decreasing.
This, in his opinion. emphatically is
due mainly to the operation OF the
compulsory insurance law.
Points Out Advantages.
That the law has had this effect
has been characterized by Mr.. Good
win as. unexpected" indicating that
it's safety aspects so prominent in the
arguments of it's enemies were not OF
primary Importance when the law was
enacted. RS
The safety brought about is traced
E by officials to two causes which pro.
ponents of compulsory insurance de-
clare will win it friends wherever II
Is given unbiased consideration. These
are that 1t has driven from the roads
of Massa chusetts the careless driver
and the car that is hopelessly unsafe.
Commenting upon this fact, Mr. Monk
says:
"Up to the registration year 1927
the number Of motor vehicles being
registered in the Commonwealth has
been persistently increasing and, in
round numbers, the normal increase
has been about 50,0 900 motor vehicles.
Since the 1st of January, 1927, with
the compulsory insurance law In
operation, not only has there been no
increase in the normal registrations
but. in certain classifications, there
has been a very decided decrease.
This is particularly true of the
more hazardous types such as COM
mercial vehicles of light weight and
motor cycles, It is noticeable also
that the makeshift motor vehicle
which hitherto had been operated on
our highways by boys is no longer
to be seen. 1t is not to be asserted,
of course. that this falling off In the
number OF registrations Is entirely
due to the law. To certain extent
1t may be attributed to economic con-
ditions. but those Of us who are
familiar with the whole situation have
no hesitancy in saying that there are
great many motor vehicles now in
the junk heap which would have been
operated on our highways, with all
the attendant risks, were 1t not Tor
the fact that this insurance Is re-
quired."
AS the law has thus served to rid
the roads of Massachusetts, or danger
Gus vehicles. SO also has 1t worked III
the elimination of the dangerous
driver.
Insurance compapies are compelled.
under the law. to write only such
risks as are proper and IL q company
examining an individuals record finds
1t unsatisfactory. it may decline to
issue policy. A rating board passes
this information regarding the indiVld'
ual along to other insurance COM
panies and IL the appellate body up
holds this appraisal, the applicant
may neither own nor operate an auto
mobile in Massachusetts.
The decisions of the appeals board
are having remarkably wholesome
effect, in Mr.. Monks opinion.
Reckless Drivers Banned.
"The chief benefits to be derived
from these decisions are not to be
found In the fact that particular
Individual has been deprived of his
right to own and operate o motor
| vehicle" he says, but rather In the
psychological effect upon others. Once
the motoring public Is made aware
Of the fact that the negligent and
reckless are barred from using tho
State highways. the reaction inevita
bly, is beneficial.
1.-THE motor vehicle owners Of Maosa
chusetts eventually will be brought
to state of mind where they will
see that unles they conduct themselves
properly on the highways and are
| careful In the operation of motor
! vehicles, they will not be permitted
either to own or operate car"
Here is the palliative effect that
should subdue those who argue that