Program takes aim at uninsured drivers
A statewide program to catch uninsured drivers in the act launches Nov. 1.
Beginning in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, cameras placed in high traffic areas will oversee the roadways, scanning license plates to identify uninsured vehicles. About one in four motorists in Oklahoma drives without insurance, one of the highest percentages in the country, officials said.
“Oklahoma will become the first state in the country to have a program such as this,” said Brian Hermanson, chairman of the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council. “About 25 percent of the drivers in the state of Oklahoma are driving without car insurance, which is a violation of state law. Because they aren’t following state law, we had to find a way to make them comply with the laws.”
Hermanson, the district attorney for Kay and Noble counties, said this program allows drivers without insurance to get compliant with the law without receiving a ticket or being charged with a crime.
“This is a diversion program,” he said Tuesday during a news conference.
The Uninsured Vehicle Enforcement Diversion Program will begin with five license plate-scanning cameras in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. In the coming months, the program will grow throughout the entire state, expanding to about 30 cameras.
Some cameras will be attached to existing poles while other cameras will be mobile, moving throughout the state on “trailers,” Hermanson said.
If a camera detects a vehicle without insurance, the owner will receive a notification letter, which carries a $174 fee. The driver must then pay the fee and provide proof of insurance.
State lawmakers passed legislation last year to implement the program, which will be administered by the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council.
“The goal of this new program is for all drivers to have at least the minimum required amount of liability insurance. When an uninsured motorist causes a crash, innocent motorists are often forced to pay for repair bills, property damage and hospital bills,” Hermanson said.
Information gathered from the cameras is run through a newly enhanced insurance database. Information from insurance companies and the Tax Commission creates the database, allowing authorities to see in real time who has insurance.
Uninsured motorists cost the state millions of dollars in lost revenue from taxes on insurance premiums, according to a news release.
The state will not have to pay any upfront fees for the program. The District Attorneys Council has been working with an outside vendor, Sensys Gatso Group, that is providing all equipment and technology needed to launch the program.
Of the $174 fee, a majority will go to the District Attorneys Council to help pay for the people who will review the images of the uninsured license plates. A copy of the image will be mailed along with the notification letter.
Another portion of the fees will go to Sensys Gatso Group, which is responsible for placing and driving cameras around the state. The company provides safety solutions for automatic traffic enforcement globally.
Other states have used cameras to spot traffic offenses such as running red lights and speeding for some time. The program in Oklahoma looks to be the first time traffic cameras in the state will be used to enforce laws.