The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-06-24
Highways
Safer Is Aim
Of New Law
Reckless Drivers Barred
From Roads if Damage
Claims Not Paid.
PENALTY is HEAVY
FINE, IMPRISONMENT

i FINE, IMPRISONMENT
The last session of the
Montana legislature passed a
law that aims to make Mon
tana's highways safer. It pro-
vides that any car owner or
operator against whom judy
ment has been secured be-
cause of an accident that in
jures or kills a person or dam
ages property, shall be kept
off the highways if the
judgment is not settled with
in 80 days. He must stay off
the highways until the judg-
ment is fully satisfied and UNI
til he has furnished financial
responsibility for future ac-
cidents. The following ex-
Iplanation of the law should
interest all car owners:
This law is aimed principally at
drivers who, when involved in an
accident which is wholly the fault
of their careless and often reckless
driving, say to the injured person
or to the person whose property
has been damaged. We'll, what are
you going to do about it, Go ahead
and sue me. | have no money. You
can't get anything from me-"
How many times you have heard
| thisl
With no money and no property,
threat of suit has meant nothing to
the irresponsible 'take-a-chance"
driver.
| Dare One to Sue
| They invite, even dare you to sue,
and continue to drive as carelessly
as before, secure in the knowledge
that judgment against them Is
valueless and that the law provides
no other penalty.
However, with the advent of this
new state law, the severity of its
provisions will quickly end the
reign of the careless driver.
No longer can he afford to take
reckless chances.
For the law is strict and very
definite on this point.
| Any car-owner or operator adj
judged responsible for an accident
that Injuries or kills person, or
damages property will find a handi-
cap to car driving if the judgment
remains unsettled after 80 days
(and even careful drivers are in
volved in ordinary accidents). These
are the handicaps.
First-He will be barred from
the highways of Montana.
Second-Ie will continue to be
barred until the judgment against
him is fully satisfied and in addi-
ton he furnishes financial respon-
sibility for future accidents.
Even the careful driver comes I'M
der the jurisdiction of the law If
he is involved in any accident in
which jury, even though he was
not to blame, pronounces him neg
| ligent because he couldn't prove his
innocence.
| Under Montana's new fiancial
responsibility law; citizens right
to drive is ieopardized from two
angles: the civil and the criminal.
The criminal angle is clearly de-
fined by statutes: briefly, don't
drive recklessly or while intoxi-
Gated
The civil angle depends not only
upon printed statutes, but also rules
laid down by courts.
If you by your negligence injure
any person or damage another's
property, the injured person or
property owner may secure judg-
ment against you.
What Is Negligence
: But what is negligence-you may
, ask.
/ When are you negligent and when
, not?
Negligence is the neglecting to dc
/ what reasonably prudent man
| would do under the same circum-
stances, or doing what the reason.
ably prudent man would not do. Il
may mean doing something-or do.
ing nothing. 1t may mean DRIVING
: fast or standing still--or not driving
fast enough or not stopping.
), Every person is required to dC
! everything possible to avoid an &C
: cident. The evidence of financia
! responsibility required from car
) ) owners and operators is securit,
! only in civil liability imposed b,
y law and not protection against Grim
inal liability.
The purpose of this new law
to keep off the highways an,
e streets
/ First-Any motor vehicle operate
r or owner who fails to satisfy, with
n in 30 days, judgment which is tn
r. outcome of an automobile acciden
involving personal injury or dealt
n or property damage in exces
n of 10000
,r Secondary owner or operate
T. whose license has been suspended fc