The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-01-20
CAR ACCIDENT
CAMPAIGN IS
SET IN MOTION
State Patrol Gets Orders
From Farmer Following
-. Governors Ideas
By J. c. Baskerville
The Times-Nnws Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

Sir Walter Hotel
RALEIGH, Jan. 2O.-Orders
for the stricter enforcement of all
the motor vehicle laws by the
state highway patrol with instruc-
tions to patrolmen to arrest the
drivers of all automobiles involved
in accidents wherever the drivers
are responsible. were issued to all
lieutenants and patrolmen yester-
day by Captain Chas. d. Farmer,
commander of the patrol, in &C
cordance with instructions from,
Gov. J. C. B. Ehringhaus.
The order further directs that
whenever patrolmen are unable to
determine which driver is to blame
in connection with an accident in
which more than one driver is IN
volved. that both drivers be ar
rested. so that the courts may de-
eide which driver was responsible.
The paragraph of the order deal
ing with this particular matter IS
as follows:
"In the future, there will be NJ
roadside settlements Of any acct
dent. no matter how small and il
the guilty parties can be deter
mined, they shall be arrested and
the courts decide what penalty
shall be given them. If the guilt
cannot be placed upon any one in,
dividual or be decided by the in
vestigating officer. both operators
of both vehicles shall be arrested
and the courts be permitted TO
decide as to which was guilty of
any violation"
These new orders were issued
with the full approval of Com
missioner Of Revenue A. J. Max
we'll and Director L. S. Harris Of
the motor vehicle bureau. 1t has
been known for some time that
several new steps have been un-
der consideration for stricter en-
forcement Of the motor vehicle
and highway laws. But it was not
known until today that this order
would make it mandatory for pa.
trnlmen to arrest virtually al
drivers involved in automobile ac'
cidents, even if the accidents are
not serious. Only those drivers
who can establish the fact that
they are in no way to blame fol
accidents in which they are III
volved can hope to escape arrest
'Nct having a state drivers IL
cense law, it has been necessary
to devise some other method 10
deal with motorists that insist
upon driving recklessly and care,
lessly," Director Harris said to-
day. GAS result. we have decid-
ed to arrest all drivers involved IL
automobile accidents unless the
drivers can show beyond any
doubt that they were not to blame
and had not violated any of the
laws. But our experience is that
almost every driver involved in ar
accident is usually guilty of VIC,
lating one or more OF the motor
hicle or highway laws.
"This means, of course, that
most of the drivers involved III
accidents will henccforth be ar
rested and have to go into court
to defend themselves. This is GO
inc to cause them some inconVen-
fence and cost them some money
If they want to avoid this mcon-
venience and expense, they had
better observe the laws, avoid
recklessness and carelessness-
also drunkenness-and thus not
have any accidents"
The time is also past when drlv-
ers can expect to get off with
nothing more than a warming
from highway patrolmen, accord
ing to Captain Farmer, unless the
violation noted is very slight. As
a result. reckless, careless and
drunken drivers had better loo;
out. In his new order to patrol
men. Captain Farmer says:
cit has been thoroughly demon
strated since January 1, by the
enforcement of the license law in
this state that the motor vehicle
laws can be enforced. 1t is the
desire of His EXcellency, the Gov
ernor, that each and every mem
Der of the patrol enforce the mo-
tor vehicle laws and prevent the
large number of accidents and
fatalities that are now taking
place on. our highways. Let each
and every member of the patrol
do everything possible to secure
the aid and cooperation of all
law enforcement officers in this
undertaking and let us make the
year 1884 one of record so far as
fatal accidents are concerned.