Oklahoma Senator Wants to Come Down Hard on Motorists Without Car Insurance

Recently, Texas lawmakers proposed a bill that would allow the police to tow the cars of uninsured motorists and deliver them to impound lots. The owner would then be required to pay the impound fees, which can amount to hundreds of dollars. This might seem like a steep penalty to some, but compared to the new bill proposed by Senator Patrick Anderson of Oklahoma, a hundred dollars in impound fees seems like a drop in the bucket.

Anderson says that he is fed up with uninsured motorist laws that allow uninsured drivers back on the road as long as they pay their ticket. If the motorist can bring proof that he or she was insured at the time the ticket was issued, they are required to pay $88 to have the ticket dismissed. If they obtain insurance after the ticket is issued, they can bring their current proof of insurance and have the ticket dismissed with a fine of $152. Without any further punishment, these laws leave the perpetrators with the choice to cancel their insurance after they are back on the road, and many do.

A Severe Penalty

Under Senator Anderson's proposed law, if any Oklahoma motorist is caught driving without insurance, the police officer would have the option to have the car towed immediately. However, rather than having to retrieve it from an impound lot, the driver's case would go in front of a judge, and the officer could ask for the car to be seized. The owner of the car would have the right to show up at the hearing with proof of insurance, but if they neglected to do so, the car would become state property and would be sold at auction, with the proceeds going to state coffers.

Room for Discrimination

Not only is this a pretty extreme penalty, many fear the system could be abused. Senator Anderson says that a benefit of the law would be to crack down on illegal aliens. Many illegals don't purchase car insurance for fear of being found out, so many drive uninsured. Opponents of the bill worry that, with the decision to seize the car in the hands of one police officer, legal residents of Latin origin could be targeted.

Equal rights proponents also fear that hidden prejudices might play into each officer's decision about whether or not to exercise their power. It might even be preferable to require officers to seize cars belonging to any driver who can't provide insurance. Offering a choice could lead to abuse by less scrupulous members of the Oklahoma police force.

Plan to Be Covered

Oklahoma residents should be prepared. The proposed bill offers a very extreme solution to the problem of uninsured drivers, but it shows that lawmakers are concerned about the car insurance question. It is likely that if this bill doesn't become law, another bill will soon be proposed on this topic.

The main reason that most people don't buy car insurance is the cost. The best way to find car insurance that keeps you legal without busting your budget is to shop around. Each car insurance company figures your price based on a different formula, so use carinsurancerates.com to find the best deal. You'll feel silly for worrying about the cost if you end up trying to buy your car back at a state auction!