POSITION OF THE CHAUFFEUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 13

POSITION OF THE CHAUFFEUR.

The courts nave likened the chauffeur's rights and duties to those of a motorm?,n, writes Mr. T. 0. Abbott in Outing Magazine. His relation to his employer has been declared to be that of master and servant. When engaged on his employer's business he is the agent of his employer, and the employer is responsible for his acts ; but the employer is bound only in so far as he acts within the scope of the authority conferred upon him. He has been limited in his authority to involve his employer in heavy repair bills, and he is expressly forbidden to take any bonus or discount for supplies or repairs. Some of the recent acts have taxcen a decided step forward in fixing the liability of the owner for the acts of the chauffeur by providing, first, Lhat no person shall be permitted to operate an automobile on the highway without tha consent of the owner, ana, second, that the owner shall be responsible for all tho acts of the operator while using the machine with his consent. This legislation has the twofold advantage of rediicing the danger to the public, at tho same time that it places the responsibility upon the owner. It is in a measure a concession to the public sentiment which has rebelled at the liberty given to an irresponsible individual to destroy life and property without any possibility of adequate, or in fact any, compensation therefor ; for which such a 'aw exists, the burden will be upon 'the owner to show that he did not give his consent. If he did he will be liable ; if he did not the chauffeur can receive something like adequate pnnishment for his offence. It is believed that this provision will have a salutary effect in eliminating "joy riding," an evil which has assumed threatening proportions.