The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-12-04

we had 42,941 reported traffic &C
cidents, in which LIS men, wo-
men and children were killed and
15,409 were injured. I am conf
dent that those figures, showing
such a terrifying increase in
traffic accidents and their grue-
some consequences over a span of
only five years, will shock the
conscience of every decent person
in North Carolina just as deeply
as they shocked the members of
our Legislature.
Well, our legislators looked long
and hard not only at those figures,
but also at another fact, which
was almost equally shocking. 1t
was that only a small per cent of
the innocent victims of motor We
hicle accidents ever received a
dime in compensation for their
economic losses-dctor's bills,
hospital bills, loss of income, de-
struction of property and, yes,
funeral expenses. They rightly
decided that the time had come,
for the protection of everyone
including the large majority of
motorists who drive safely-to
enact law that would correct
this objectionable and unecces-
sary situation.
Thus, our Motor Vehicle Safety
Responsibility Law was enacted
by the Legislature. 1t has two
primary purposes, which can be
stated very simply as follows:
l. To require all motor vehicle
owners and operators who are
involved in a traffic accident re-
sulting in death or injury of a
person, or property damage ex-
ceeding 500, to file evidence of
their ability to pay for the dam
age they cause, up to $1,000, or
suffer suspension of their drivers
license until they do.
2. To facilitate the States
ability to put chronic accident
causers off the road.
Now, in the remaining few
minutes of my radio time, let us
see how the new law will accom-
plish these purposes and what it
will require of motorists who are
involved in accidents.
Let us assume it is some date in
January, the Motor Vehicle SAT-
ty Responsibility Law is in full
force and effect, and you are the
operator of car that has just
been involved in an accident.
You will now have to make two
reports, so listen carefully. If a
person was killed or injured, or
there was total property damage
to an apparent extent of 500,
you must Immediately report the
accident to the police in a NUM-
cipality or to the State Highway
Patrol, sheriff or qualified rural
police in the event it occurred
outside a municipality. Then,
within "a hours after the acct
dent, you must also file with the
Department of Motor Vehicles a
written report on a new official
form.
Now right here let me give
you North Carolina motorists
very friendly tip. Both of these
reports must be made, regardless
of who was at fault and by the
operator of every car involved.
Never make the mistake of ignor-
ing either report simply because
you think you were not to blame.
I strongly suggest that you lose
no time in getting the official
forms for" your written report,
either from the State Highway
Patrol, the Department of Motor
Vehicles, any police department
or any sheriff's office. Of course,
they are free. Study the form and
keep it in your car. If you have
an accident, as I just explained,
be sure to answer all of the ques-
tons accurately.
When your report reaches the
Department of Motor Vehicles it
will be studied for a number of
things. If a person was killed or
even slightly injured, you auto
matically become subject to the
security requirements of our new
Safety Responsibility Law. If it
was limited to property damage,
and the total amount of damage
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