Evening star., 1933-09-17
In the Motor World
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.
UR friendly neighbors to the
north-the Canadians-haVe
been modern in many ways,
and especially in regard to
motor vehicle traffic, Prov


seouently have had low fatality and
accident figures.
Soon after the agitation for com
pulsory insurance law for automobile
drivers in the United States had start
ed. resulting in the present financial
responsibility law fOStered by the
American Automobile Association, Can
ada became interested and was prompt
to take similar action. 1t was their
belief also that motorist financially
should be able to take care of the
victim of an accident in which he was
responsible. And not TO penalize the
safe driver by high insurance rates,
Canada restricted the actions of the
reckless driver, for whom no one has
sympathy.
Addresses Canadian Bar.
Recently the Canadian Bar Associa-
ton was addressed by R. Leighton
Foster, superintendent of insurance in
Ontario. His remarks should prove Of
interest to many American motorists.
His remarks relating to responsibility
insurance. in part, follow:
The automobile insurance legiSla-
ton of 1921 was still in course of en-
actment in some provinces when the
social and economic problem created
BY the depredations of the financially
irresponsible motorist began to reach
the front page of the newspapers.
Those who are the first to deplore
the mass of new legislation which an
nually appears on Our statute books
are frequently the first to cry There
ought to be law" In relation to
the increasing toll of motor vehicle
accidents this cry usually took the
form of the appeal Everybody ought
to be compelled TO carry insurance,
meaning that no person ought to be
permitted to own a motor vehicle or
drive on the highway unless he car
ried a motor vehicle liability policy.
Although the agitation for such a law
has diminished during the past three
or tour years, no doubt partly as
result Of the new motor vehicle and
insurance legislation l am about to
describe, which goes considerable
distance along these lines. 1 think it
can be said that some four or five
years ago there was not a state or
provincial legislature on this conti-
nent where some resolution or bill was
not actually presented calling or pro-
wang Tor the enactment of some kind
OF compulsory automobile insurance
statute. The people had almost over
nlght become more interested in the
thlrd-party victims of motor vehicle
accidents than in the sanctity of the
law OF contract and tic cost of auto
mobile insurance to the nlotorist.
When the Commonwealth of Massa-
chuSettS adopted such compulsory au-
tomoblle insurance statute in 1926. fresh
1uel was added to the flames of agita-
ton and advocates of such measures
received fresh encouragement Early in
1929, when the late Justice HodginS of
the Supreme Court OF Ontario was ap-
pointed royal commissioner by the
ontario government to Investigate and
report upon the reaSOna bleneSS of the
increase III automobile insurance prem
lum rates which became effective Do
m!nion-Wide on February l of that wear,
resolutions from municipal councils and
other organizations throughout the
province began to pour in upon the
government and the commissioner
Public opinion appeared t. have de-
Neloped to point where the govern
ment was required to take some action
and accordingly the commissioner was
instructed to turn aside from his pre-
MUM rate inquiry and to make a Spe-
clal interim report upon compulsory
automobile insurance
Exhaustive Probe Made.
THE commissioners interim report
was presented to the government in
March. 1880, after an exhaustive in
vestigation which took him to Wash
lngton, D. c.. other United States CEN
ters, and abroad. For reasons which
space will not permit me to describe,
he recommended strongly against a
compulsory automobile insurance meas
ure of the character in force in Massa-
HhI1cpttS N of lad
financial responsibility legislation of the
character originated by the American
Automobile Association in the United
States and already approved at that
time in the States of New York. Con-
necticut and half dozen additional
States. The commissioner appended
to his report a draft bill to amend the
Ontario highwa, traffic act by adding
thereto a part entitled Financial Re-
sponsibility Of Owners and Drivers
which followed closely the provisions of
the so-called A. A. A. bill. The COM
missioner's bill SO recommended was ap-
proved by the On, Legislature within
80 days and came into force on Septem-
Der /, 1880. -
1t is interesting to observe that the
financial responsibility legislation which
is now in force in all the provinces Of
Canada except the province of Quebec
and which is so closely related to our
new automobile insurance statutes did
not originate in Canada solely as
result of the interim report of Justice
HodginS. While it is true that his re-
port no doubt carried great weight in
several provinces and that his draft
bill vas closely followed and is largely
responsible for the substantial uniform
ity which now exists in the financial
Of loa
vehicle statutes in the several provinces.
the facts are that before his report was
presented bills had been introduced in
two other provinces. In Manitoba. bills
before the Manitoba Legislature having
as their objective penalizing the motor
ist who failed to pay judgment arising
out of a motor vehicle accident and i'm
proving the prospects of the victim OF
a motor vehicle accident receiving COM
pensation by ali amendment of the
statutory conditions contained in auto
mobile insurance policies were being
considered.
Before the highway traffic bill passed
out of committee. however, the report
of the Ontario commissioner became
available and it was amended to follow
closely the provisions of the Ontario
bill recommended by the commissioner.
And the insurance bill. though passed.
was never proclaimed IN force. Mean
while, down on the Atlantic. Seaboard
the province of Prince Edward Island,
and without knowledge.
so far as is known. of the bills before
the Manitoba and Ontario Legislatures,
embodied financial responsibility provl-
sionS in its motor vehicle statute fol-oW-
ing closely the provisions of the United
States A. A A. bill end the Ney York
law. So it is apparent that our new
motor vehicle and automobile insurance
legislation is peculiarly the result OF
wide consensus of opinion that there
ought to be law
california. Connecticut. Delaware,
Indiana. Iowa. Maine, Maryland. Mas
sachusetts. Minnesota. Neb aska. New
Hampshire. New Jersey. New York,
North Carolina North Dakota. Rhode
Island. South Dakota. Vermont. W.
ginia, Wisconsin. Michigan October =.