Alabama’s Uninsured Drivers Now Subject To Civil Penalties

Oct. 31--In less than an hour on Tuesday, State Trooper Jay Webb wrote tickets for two women who failed to show proof of auto insurance.

One woman, pulled over for speeding, had an expired card, while the other, involved in a wreck, didn't have insurance at all.

State Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Harrell said on average, one in five people he pulls over for violations are uninsured. Beginning Wednesday, state troopers can issue civil penalties to uninsured drivers who are not initially ticketed at the scene of a wreck or when pulled over.

"Those who continue choosing to violate this law place a heavier burden on the rest of the motoring public and place us all at risk," Harrell said on Tuesday.

In June 2000, it became mandatory for all motorists in Alabama to at least have liability insurance or face a Class C misdemeanor, a fine or suspension of a driver's license for up to six months, according to the Alabama Department of Revenue.

In January 2013, the state established an online system for law enforcement to check the status of drivers' insurance. In 2016, the Legislature passed a law to allow law enforcement to use that system to cite motorists after the initial interaction, according to a news release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

According to the Insurance Research Council, a Pennsylvania nonprofit supported by insurance companies and associations, the number of uninsured drivers has risen nationwide. In Alabama, however, there was a decrease: from about 26 percent in 2007 to about 18.4 percent in 2015, according to the nonprofit.

"I believe the new law will absolutely reduce the number of uninsured motorists on our roadways," Harrell said. "There will no longer be an excuse for allowing your insurance coverage to lapse or the inability to afford coverage because starting Nov. 1, 2017, motorists can no longer afford to be without insurance."

Harrell said at times drivers try to explain why they don't have insurance.

"The most common explanations, in my experience, have been the inability to afford liability insurance and instances where the driver allowed their coverage to lapse," he said.

Drivers issued a civil penalty will be fined $200 for the first offense, $300 for the second and $400 for the third or subsequent offenses.

People issued a civil citation who do not pay the fine or appeal the citation within 45 days will have their driver's license suspended for 90 days and have to pay $100 to reinstate it, according to the news release.

Motorists issued criminal citations at the time of a wreck or traffic violation cannot also be issued a civil penalty, Harrell said.

Harrell said there could be a variety of reasons a state trooper may not give an insurance citation at the initial interaction.

"The driver may have been transported to a hospital out of our area or state prior to our arrival or the driver may have left the scene of the crash," Harrell wrote. "There are very few instances where we wouldn't issue that citation; however, some situations do exist."

Money collected through these civil penalties will help buy replacement patrol vehicles and hire new state troopers, according to the law.

Staff writer Kirsten Fiscus: 256-235-3563. On Twitter @kfiscus_star.

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