Evening star., 1932-06-05

+ whole texture of our lives. 1t has
brought many benefits. but there have
also arisen certain tremendous evils
Chief of these is the terrific sacrifice OF
life and limb Occasioned almost wholly
by thoughtless, careless. reckless driving.
The automobile manufacturers have
virtually perfected their product and
highway engineers have given US roads
guarded by many safety features. Yet
in spite of every material safeguarded
automobile accidents continue to i'll
crease at an alarming rate.
1t has been said that some mems
consciences are locked IN their purses"
and this thought seems to be borne out
i'll the matter OF safe driving. Al
though It Is q severe indictment, 1t
really seems that only as the rank and
file Of motorists grasp the economic
phases Of the automobile accident sit
uatiOn will they make serious effort
to correct their unsafe driving practices.
The recent automobile liability in
Surance rate increases should serve as
powerful reminder that the public
makes the rates" This truth Is graphi-
cally demonstrated In recent publica-
ton of life affiliated insurance COM
pany entitled Here Are the Fac. ."
Although this pamphlet was issued pri-
marily for the use Of agents IN justify
in the rate increases, its secondary. and
really fundamental. value is as most
apropoS contribution to the cause of
highway safety.
Small wonder that the rates have
advanced! In the light of the pertinent
information revealed by this booklet. 1t
is at once apparent that automobile
accident frequency and severity deter
mine the cost of automobile liability
insurance: II cars on the road In 1881
to every one in 1914; 2l5 900 automobile
deaths in 10 years: 26 per cent more
automobile accident claims In 1880
than in 1928. These are thought-pro-
voking facts that cannot be gainsaid.
Preventing Future Deficits.
Present rates have not been raised
to make up past deficits, but to prevent
future deficits II the companies have
again underestimated their losses. rates
must continue to advance year by year.
For let 1t be clearly understood, in
surance companies can only divide the
losses among their pOlicyholders. As
the outgo tclaim settlements) increases.
income tpremiumsb must be increased
prOportiOnately. Consequently. accident
frequency and severity directly affect
the cost Of insurance.
There Is another factor which. al
though not directly cited in the Etna S
booklet, also has an important bearing
on the subject. This Is the matter of
the public's attitude toward jury awards
in automobile liability suits. Every YER
dict against an insured motorist adds
just that much to the total losses
chargeable to annual experience.
upon which liability rates are based
l~ oil lot Nxrit ft lSt
injuries suffered are to be deplored. 1t
is utterly false reasoning OH the part
Of jurymen to assume that "the In
surance company will pay, 80 why not
give the plaintiff what he wants
Every excessive automobile liability
verdict tends to increase the cost Of
each pOlicyhOlder's protection.
Just rs governmental expenses can
not be increased indefinitely without
being reflected in increased taxation.
SO increased automobile accidents with
their almost inevitable resultant law
suits cannot fail to bring higher rates
This is indeed 4 day OF reckoning
Let us all resolve To do our bit t0 cor
rect the situation.
April Factory Sales. =.
The automotive industry is showing
slight gain. April factory sales Of
automobiles manufactured In the United
| States, including foreign assemblies
from parts made in this country. based
On data reported t0 the Bureau Of Gen.
sus consisted Of l46,0l3 vehicles. Of
which l2O 841 were passenger cars
27,l4l trucks and 81 taxicabs. rs COM
pared with 1889 vehicles In March
The totals are still below the sales OF
last year.