The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1951-09-20

clal responsibility as long as
they drive a car.
sThe quickest and simplest
way for motor vehicle owners
and operators to understand
our new law" Supervisor Eng
land said, sis to study the
easy-to-read leaflet the Mon
tana Highway Patrol is diStrib-
uting to all car owners. Any
motorist who fails to receive
on within the next 10 days may
obtain a copy merely by con
tacting their local highway pa
trolman, police station or Sher-
iff's office. 1t can be read III
two minutes and memorized in
thirty"
Here are some of the typical
questions the department mas
been receiving during the past
few weeks and Supervisor Eng
land answers as administrator
of the law: >
What is the effective date. o.
the new automobile law?
The motor vehicle safety re-
sp~onsibility law becomes effec-
tive on and after October 1.
What are it's purposes?
1T has two primary purposes:
ID to require motor vehicle
owners who are involved in q
traffic accident to furnish sat
iSfactory proof of their ability
to pay for the damage they
caused, and Cd to give the
state an effective additional
means of removing habitual &C.
cident causers from the streets
and highways.
Does it apply to minor traf-
fic accidents?
No, it applies only to a traf-
fic accident in which a person
has been killed or injured or in
which property damage to any
one person exceeds 500.
Who reports the accident
and when? r.
In addition to other accident
reports required by the motor
vehicle laws, the safety respon-
Sibility law states that the op.
orator of every car involved
must file a written report with
the Montana Highway Patrol
within 10 days after the acct
dent. 1t is important to remem-
her that every operator must
report, regardless of who was al
fault. If an operator is physic-
ally incapable of reporting, it is
the duty of any other person
involved to do so. Wilful fail
ure, refusal or neglect to report
is punishable by a fine and by
suspension of license.
What is satisfactory proof
of ability to pay for damages?
Such proof can be furnished
in a number of ways. Automo-
bile liability insurance, if in
force at the time of the acct
dent, is automatically accepted
by the law as proof of an own
er'S or operators ability to pay
for the damage he has caused
In lieu of insurance, an owner
or operator who becomes in
volved in an accident may de-
post satisfactory security with
the state treasurer, execute A
duly acknowledged writer
agreement providing for the
payment of claims up to Sill 900,
obtain a release from liability
signed by the other persons in
volved, or obtain a final court
decree finding him not liable
for the accident. Any. one OF
these acts will be sufficient. All
owner whose car was legally
parked or being driven without
his consent at the time of the
accident is not required to fur.
nish proof of ability to pay for
damages but must file the nee
eSSary accident report.
How much security am I re-
quired to deposit?
If you were the owner or 90
orator of a car involved in al
accident, you will be requiI cd
to deposit only enough secur-
lty to cover the amount Of
damage you caused, which will
be determined by the Montana
Highway Patrol. It may be as
little as SOL or as much as
$1,000.
What will happen if I fail to
deposit security?
If you fail to furnish the
Highway Patrol with s~atiSfac-
tory evidence that you had au-
tomobile insurance at the &C
cident, or fail to meet the laws
security provision in one of the
other way previously explained,
within so days after receiving
a report of the accident, the
supervisor of the Montana
Highway Patrol must suspend
both your driving and registra-
ton licenses. They will remain
suspended until you have salts
fled the laws security require
ments.
What happens to a driver
who was not to blame?
The supervisor of the High
yryoy W DnfrN1 1ar ,oAoItfI, nrir ~ 10