Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
BIG ADVANCE SEEN
IN NEW YORK LAW
Reckless Driver Will Be Re.
strained and Financial Re-
SponSibiIity Fixed.

Enactment by New York and New
jersey of motoring statute embody
ing the principles of the A. A. A. safety
responsibility law and the passage of ;
similar measure by the Rhode Islanc
General Assembly was characterized b!
national headquarters Of the American
the most constructive legislation hither'
to adopted in the interest of safety or
the streets and highways.
Oficials of the national motoring
body expressed themselves rs highly
gratified with the unprecedented prog
ress made by measure, the principle:
of which we're framed with q view OF
curbing the reckless driver, compelling
his assumption of financial responsible
ity after his recklessness has been
proven and DISTINGUISHING, as far as
the highways are concerned, those who
fail to meet damages adjudged against
them
The New York, New Jersey and Rhode
Island laws, said President Thomas P
Henry of the A. A. A., effect all these
liabilities for the minority Of reckless
and irresponsible operators, without In
any way intrenching on the freedom
of the great majority Of careful and
responsible drivers.
Many Ask for Bill.
Hundreds of inquiries and requests
for copies of the bill have reached
A. A. A. headquarters and its affiliated
clubs from individuals, organizations
and public officials in practically every
State in the Union in the few days that
have elapsed since Gov. Roosevelt OF
New York and Gov. Larsen of New Jer-
sey signed the measures adopted by
7
Island measure Is now in the hands
of Gov. Case.
This overwhelming volume of in
terest and approval augurs well for
action in other States where the
measure Is now before the Legislatures,
A. A. A.,-eficials declared.
Owen B. Augspurger Of Buffalo,
N. Y, member of the A. A. A. executive
committee and chairman Of the
National Committee of Seventeen. which
framed the safety responsibility law,
made the statement during a call at
headquarters, that interest is so keen
in the action of New York State that
he has been told by the secretary OF
state that the demand for copies or
the bill was so heavy that the supply
has been exhausted.
Essential features of the law" said
the A. A. A. statement, provide for
license law, stringent provision for the
suspension Of driving permits OF all per-
sons found guilty of serious violations
of motor vehicle laws until such time
as they have provided liability against
future accidents; denial of the use Of
highways to persons who have failed
to pay a Judgment against them when
the award is made by court Of COM
petent Jurisdiction and until they have
FAv- %syfV ne- FJoll At
fective provisions to prevent person
who has been ruled of the road in
one State from operating 9 car In
other States.
I'm a few instances-and these in
the main due to q serious mietfnder-
standing - some criticism haSse been
made Of the law on the ground that
some of its most stringent features do
not become operative until after o man
has proven his disregard for public
safety by criminal operation OF h15 An-,
tomobile. All criminal law proceeds on
this same principle. To proceed other
wise would be to subject all cur citizens
to disabilities intended for the criminal
minority. -
while the safety responsibility law
does not absolutely guarantees Eompen-
sation for the victim Of an accident.
it disfranchiseS the perpetrator, as far
as the use of motor vehicle on the
highways Is concerned. until he has
paid these damages and established his
responsibility for the future. This
provision is q most compelling argyll
ment in favor of q settlement and viii
60 q long way toward the solution OF
the problem of unpaid damages. In
addition, 1t must be remembered that
the safety responsibility law Is pri-
marily safety measure directed at the
reckless driver.
Other Favorable Support.
Interest Of State Legislatures in the
safety responsibility law, aside from
those that have already passed 1t. in
dicates clearly the favorable support 1t
is receiving Although the principles
were formulated by the A. A. A. less
than six months ago, laws embodying
them are now actively discussed in Is
States, with A. A. A. motor clubs be-
hind them in all instances Iowa,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon and
washington are among the States in
which the bill, or important parts OF it,
has actually gone to the Legislatures.
This situation AFFORDS sharp con-
trast to compulsory automobile insur-
rance which, after years of agitation,
has been adopted by only one State,
without any prospect of 1t being adopt
ed by another. We feel that compulsory
automobile insurance in its radical
form has completely passed from the
national picture. And it is significant
that the power bill introduced in the
Massachusetts Legislature enibodies the
principles of the safety responsibility
law.
I'm the successful framing Of the
law, after many months Of investiga-
ton and close study Of many proposals,
organized motordom has demonstrated
its capacity for seh-government and
the importance of cooperative effort
by the motorists in the solution a
problems in their own field. The bene.
fits will accrue to all car owners and
not merely to the members Of the
American Automobile Association and
its 1913 affiliated clubs throughout the
l,ni1rnfrtr >,