| Show new highway law effective on september I 1 SALT LAKE CITY public safety commissioner joseph W dudler reminded utah motorists today that when the states new motor vehicle safety responsibility law becomes effective sept 1 they must be prepared to pay for the damage they cause in accidents up to or have all of their motoring privileges suspended until they do citing last years high accident record as an example commissioner dudler said the legislature was not only deeply disturbed about the amount of careless driving on highways but also by the fact that a great many people irresponsibly use every trick and device to avoid even paying tor for the expense they have caused the victims ot of accidents the te new law therefore has two primary purposes the commissioner said as follows 1 I 1 to require motor vehicle owners and operators who are involved in accidents to pay for the damage they cause or got get oft off of the road as either owner or operator until they do 2 to facilitate the states ability to put habitual accident caus ers off of the road permanently as either 0 wrier owner or operator commissioner dudler pointedly declared that the new safety re ke law Is not a compulsory insurance act say saying ing you as a motor vehicle owner or operator are not compelled under any condition or circumstance to carry insurance it if you become subject to the la laws ws security section you have a number of choices as to how bow you comply with it so it anyone tries to tell you this Is a compulsory insurance law you tell them that they dont know what talking about speaking to the antl entire re state in a radio broadcast commissioner dudler gave the first official explanation of how the new law operates which may be briefly summarized as follows beginning sept 1 the driver of every car that Is involved in a traffic accident resulting in death or injury or property damage in excess of 25 must tile file a written report with the department of pub ulc safety within 5 days the security requirements do not apply unless the accident caused death or injury or property damage in excess of in that event an owner or operator who carried the proper kind hind of insurance at the time of the accident Is not further affected by the safety ity law because it accepts such insurance as proof of ability to meet damage claims up to an uninsured driver has a total of 60 days in which to do any one of the following things obtain a release from liability signed by all other persons involved obtain a court decree that he la is not liable execute a written agreement to pay ill all damage claims up to or prove that his car was lawfully parked or being driven without his permission at the time of the accident it if an uninsured driver Is unable to do one of these things within 20 days after the accident the department t of public safety will wil a call upon him to deposit collateral or bond in an amount sufficient to cover damages tor for which he may be held liable this may be as little as or as much as 11 should the driver be unable to cover his possible liability with security or bond within the remaining 40 days the department must suspend both hla his oper operators license and registration plates for all cars owned by him suspension will remain in effect until the law Is complied compiled with or one year has elapsed without suit tor for damages being filed A plea of innocence of blame cannot be accepted unless it is in the form of a release by the other parties or a final court decision the dep department art of public safety has no jurisdiction is whatever in the mat matter tee of who was at fault in the accad accident ent |
