Evening star., 1933-01-15
STATES TO JUDGE
A. A. A. SAFETY BILL
Enactment of Responsibility
Measure Up to LegiS.
IatureS.

With A State Legislatures about to
convene, reports to the semi-annual
meeting of the Board of Directors of
the American Automobile Association
here today indicate that Nation
wide drive is In progress for the enact
ment of the A. A. A. safety-responsi-
biiity bill. designed to promote highway
safety through the control or elimina-
ton of the reckless and irresponsible
driver.
Concurrently with the announce
ment that new revision of the bill has
just been completed, the A. A. A. pre-
dicted that probably as many as 20
State Legislatures would consider
safety responsibility" during the 1888
sessions.
THE experience OF the 10 States and
the s Canadian provinces where the
law is now in effect, In whole or in
part, has proven SO satisfactory that
universal adoption of the legislation
can now be confidently looked forward
to-" Owen B. Augspurger of New York,
chairman of the A. A. A. SafetyRe
SponSibility Committee, declared.
Among the States where an aggres-
sive campaign in behalf of the legisla-
tion is now under way are: Alabama,
Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota,
Pennsylvania. Washington and West
Virginia, while many other States are
expected to join the procession.
1.-THE safety-responsibi bill" said
Mr.. Augspurger, has three primary OBJ
jectiveS: First, to provide an incentive
for careful and safe driving and to con-
troll or eliminate the reckless and ire
sponsible operator; second, to compel
those drivers who have demonstrated
their recklessneSs to establish evidence
Of financial responsibility for the fu-
rure as a prerequisite to their regain
ing the privilege Of driving, and, third,
to furnish an incentive for payment of
otherwise uncollectable judgments aris-
ing from automobile accidents.
This measure segregates and sub
Jects to special regulations those-but
only those--motorists who are convicted
IL criminal or civil proceedings Of Sc
rious violations Of the law or of having
injured others. It does not affect mo-
torists Unfortunately nor penalize for
trif1ing ofenses nor vex those involved
In accidents which are the fault of
Others"
Speaking Of the favorable outlook for
the legislation, Mr.. Augspurger s2id:
Many special committees and in
term committees that have been study
ing the law in the various States have
reached the conclusion that the safety
responsibility law, without interfering
in the least with the careful driver,
affords a powerful weapon for the con-
trol Of the reckless and criminal oper-
ator, who Is responsible for the great
majority Of fatalities and injuries.
"It is also being gradually demon
strated that the penalties of the law
are proving effective in prompting the
payment Of judgments assessed by the
courts as a result Of injuries to persons
and damages to property at the hands
OF reckless and irresponsible operators.
The fact that two committees of
the Congress Of the United States re-
Gently reached the same conclusion and
recommended the safety y-responsibility
law for the District of Columbia is q
gratifying indication of the trend Of
informed sentiment.
Considering that the original A. A. A.
bill goes back only to 1928, the fact that
half the motor vehicles in the United
States and two-thirds of the motor We
hicles in Canada are now operating
under all or some Of its fundamental
principles proves the soundness of this
legislation and that 1t reaches the au-
tomobile accident problem from the
proper basis.
THE Endorsement Of this type of leg
islation by the Eastern Conference of
Motor Vehicle Administrators on the
basis Of their investigation and their
experience, in preference to radical al
ternatiyes suggested, has no doubt pro-
voked most favorable reaction
throughout the country.
"A similar effect was produced by
the very complete figures issued by the
province of Ontario covering experience
with the Ontario law, which is in all
essentials the A. A. A. model bill. The
Ontario experience showed conclusively
that the law has made it possible to
give large measure Of protection to
the public against the depredations Of
the reckless driver.
Eighteen of the States that now
have safety responsibility laws in some
form have legislative sessions this year.
However, many of such State laws do
not include all the important features
OF the revised model bill and should be
amended to include all such important
features, If such States are to enjoy the
full benefits of the legislation"