The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-04-28
LICENSE LAW
GAINS FAVOR
Sentiment for That and
Bigger Patrol Grows
Among Motorists
By J. c. Baskerville
The Times-News Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

RALEIGH, APR. 2S.-With the
number of persons killed and IN
iured in automobile accidents IN
creasinc almost every month and
with the cost of automobile liabil-
itv insurance increasing every
wear to the large number OF accl-
dents in the state, a growing SEN
timent in favor Of a state driv-
ers' license law and of a larger
and more adequate highway pa
troll is being noticed here. As re-
suit, it is already agreed that the
1886 general assembly will be
asked to enact strict drivers
license law, also to increase the
patrol to provide for more ade-
ouate enforcement Of the highway
laws.
In March. 70 persons were kill.
ed and 35S injured in 301 auto
mobile accidents, the largest num-
Der killed and injured in March
since the motor vehicle bureau
started keeping accident Stats
tics. In March, 1882, there were
only Sc killed and 1913 injured
while in March, 1882. only 45
were killed. In 1888, a total of
852 persons were killed, 5,193 in
iurcd in 3,435 accidents.
These figures are beginning to
make the public generally, as well
as automobile owners sit up and
take notice. In addition, the au-
tomobile owners are complaining
at the high cost of liability insur-
ancc while the liability insurance
companies are in turn asking the
commissioner OF insurance per-
mission to increase their rates, al
ready about the highest of any
state in the country. Commission
er Dan C. Boney Of the insurance
department recently refused to
grant another application for
higher rates made by the insur-
ancc companies, but served warn
ing that if something was not
done to reduce the number of au-
tomobile accidents that he would
be compelled to permit the COM
panies to increase their rates next
year.
As a result. the insurance COM
panies have at last joined hands
with the public in seeking more
adequate laws, especially state
drivers license law and an enlarg-
ed highway patrol. For the insur-
ance companies realize, according
to spokesman for them, that rates
have already been increased to
the satuFation point and that
hence rates must be lowered. But
they also agree that rates cannot
be lowered until the number of
accidents in the state is decreas-
ed, because the rate charged is
based directly on the number of
accidents and the number of per-
sons killed and injured each year.
80 the various liability insurance
companies, as well as life insur-
ance companies, are planning to
cooperate in putting on a State
WIDE educational campaign in an
effort to reduce the number of
automobile accidents, Commits
sloner Boney said. 1t is also ex-
peeted that these same Insurance
companies will cooperate with the
forces seeking state drivers H.
cense and larger highway patrol
IN the 1885 general assembly.
According to present plans
however, it is not expected that
any extra charge will be made to-
automobile owners for the driv-
ers, license. but that it will he
included in the cost of the YEARLY
automobile license, while only a
small charge will be made for the
licenses for non-owner drivers As
a result, 1T is expected that most
of the objection which has ex-
listed in previous general assem-
'blless to a drivers license law will