Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26

! tute cause for suspension or revoca-
ton of licenses in the State, q con-
viction of an offense in any other
State which, If committed in this
State, would be a violation of any of
the aforesaid provisions of the motor
vehicle law of this State.
It has been charged that the legiSla-
ton might be used by the police as a
weapon to compel motorists indiscrimi-
nately to assume financial responsibility
| by that threat of suspension of license
because of petty offenses against the
motor vehicle code. This charge entirely
overlooks the fact that only perpetra-
tors of major violations as cited above
are affected
One of the charges brought against
the safety-EesponSibility law Is that it
might be used by insurance interests to
drum up business. The answer to this
is two-fold In the first place insurance
interests have at all times preached and
practiced the doctrine that it is wise
and provident thing for responsible
people to protect themselves against
mishapS or adverses. Secondly, there
is nothing in this law that even APP
proaches compulsion, except in so far as
regards the man or the woman who is
guilty of gross abuse Of the privilege of
driving a car or of failure to do justice
on account of losses or injuries sus-
tanned as a result of his or her reckless
conduct. The law simply says In effect:
You, Mr.. Automobile owner, are re-
garded as good driver and as q re-
sponsible citizen. However, when and
II you disclose yourself to be a menace
process of law-you have got to prove
your responsibility or you cannot
operate on the highways. This is in
addition to whatever other disabilities
reckless driving brings on you under
the motor laws of your State"
Importance of Coverage.
This is as far as the law goes in this
respect. But there is no doubt in my
mind that a knowledge as to the penal
ties resulting from recklessness, while
placing premium on safe driving will
at the same time have the effect of
bringing more people to realize the i'm
portance of liability coverage. In fact,
am told that whereas two or three
years ago the number of drivers carry
ing liability insurance in Connecticut
and New Hampshire was from IL to 20
per cent, the number as of last No
vember was from "A to rs per cent.
What is apparently happening is that
the prudent are protecting themselves
voluntarily, while the reckless are being
Continued opposition to the principles
of compensation Is going to result in
one of three things. It will postpone,
for a while at least, the enactment of
any nationwide curative aid for our
traffic ills, thus allowing the situation
to become more and more uncontrol-
liable; 1t viii bring about compulsory
insurance, or it win force the Govern
ment to go into the insurance business.
The curve of wasteage in the loss Of
life, accidents and property damage has
already reached the point where the
public conscience is in revolt and de-
mands that something be done. Most
certainly, things cannot be permitted to
get worse. At the same time, the ex-
perience Of Massachusetts, with COM
pulsory automobile insurance has not
been such as to engender confidence in
this particular measure. The other pos
Sibility, that Of State government going
INTO the insurance business by assuming
sole charge of the matter OF compensa-
ton, would only be the entering wedge
for dangerous experiment to which
the country as whole would not take
kindly. az