PASSENGERS REFUSED

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 February 1932, Page 12

PASSENGERS REFUSED

BIG FINANCIAL RISK. MOTORISTS’ LIABILITY EXPLAINED. The fact that motorists have been known to refuse to take their friends on motor tours or offer pedestrians a lift owing to the risk they run of becoming financially involved should the passengers suffer injury m a motor accident was brought to the notice of the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last week by its Hamilton agency. A suggestion emanating from Hamilton was that the law should he amended to provide that passengers travel in private motor-cars at their own risk, thus exempting motorists from liability. Alembers pointed out that under the present law a claim for damages could be made by a passenger if it could he proved that the driven was reckless or negligent. Merely turning ones’ head for a moment while driving would constitute negligence. There was nothing, however, to prevent motorists taking out a special insurance policy to cover risk on his passengers. It was decided to submit the matter to the North Island Alotor Union for an opinion.