State Officials in Texas (America) commented that it will become a lot harder for the four million drivers in the vast state who carry fake insurance cards or do not have insurance at all to escape judgement from the law. This warning was a result from last week, because Texas saw the introduction of a new database being launched in an attempt to seek out the insurance scammers. The device will allow the officers to instantly check whether drivers are insured.

It is thought that across the state, all DPS officers are using the database. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Louis Sanchez gave a stark warning to uninsured drivers: “If you don’t have liability insurance for your vehicle, your chances of getting a ticket just went up dramatically.”

In Texas, within a matter of weeks, Waco police will start to check insurance with the new system after the department’s administration decides when and how the database will be used.

Officer Steve Anderson is an advocate for the new system and claimed that the database will be helpful in catching drivers who make one insurance payment to get an insurance card and then stop their policies.  

DPS spokesman Tom Vinger also supports the idea and said that people who carry fake insurance or indeed have no car insurance is very problematic to the state, as it is thought that one in five driver’s do not purchase such insurance.

The database will allow officers to immediately find information about the driver’s insurance by entering in the vehicle’s license plate numbers. Both Vinger and Anderson stated that this database will not be used to provide traffic stops.

Now that action is being taken it will please many Texas residents. Vinger commented: “People who have insurance have long wanted something done about it. This is the first step in being more aggressive in tackling the problem.”

The current method for trying to prevent drivers to drive without insurance is a fine. A driver who does not have liability insurance can be fined up to $350, and repeat offenders could lose their license for up to two years.  It is also against the law to drive without an insurance card.

New Device in Louisiana

For those who do have car insurance though, they may possibly now find a way to lower their car insurance premium. In Louisiana, there has been the launch of an optional car insurance programme which offers lower rates on transport.

The idea is based on the behaviour of the driver, if they are a rash driver or a calm driver.  The invention is called ‘MyRate’ and gives the driver a personalised rate based on how much, when and how the car is driven.

Richard Hutchinson of MyRate’s general manager stated: “MyRate is designed for consistent and safe drivers. It's for people who drive at low risk times of day and who keep alert for others on the road. They don't make fast lane changes or follow too closely behind other drivers so they don't have to over-react or slam on the brakes.”

Hutchinson furthered that the device can save drivers money: “This is a brand new way to price car insurance that allows Louisiana drivers to pay based on how they actually drive. Therefore, they can see how their driving habits are affecting their rate, and, if they choose, make behavioural changes that can lead to savings.”

The device is a small wireless system that can be plugged into the driver’s car.