Driving without insurance is illegal and a crime in almost all 50 states. Every driver must have insurance with him, and if they do not have any insurance, they will have to pay different penalties.

Methods of how police catch uninsured drivers are:-

Earlier, there were few resources to catch uninsured drivers. But as technology improves, there are various methods through which police can catch uninsured drivers.

A few techniques of how do police catch uninsured drivers are mentioned below:-

Random Checkpoints

Along the major roadways, the police set up various vehicle checkpoints. At this checkpoint, police pull you over and ask for your registration, license, and insurance proof. If you do not have any insurance proof with you while driving, then you will have to pay the fine.

And if you do not have insurance coverage, then the police can tow your vehicle quickly and you cannot do anything.

Pulling over Traffic Violations

Another technique of how police catch uninsured drivers is through traffic violations, and this is one of the easiest ways uninsured drivers can be caught. If you are driving, always follow the traffic rules, as police do not need any significant violation to pull you over.

Police can also catch you for breaking a small traffic rule, like speeding up, busted headlamps, etc. And if the police catch you, then your license, insurance card, and registration will be taken off by the police. They can check whether you are insured or not through your insurance card.

Automatic License Plate Recognition Systems (ALPR)

This is a relatively new technology to find out uninsured drivers easily and quickly. Through this, the police can check your insurance with the help of your number plate. In this technology, police use ALPR cameras.

The camera takes a photo of the plate, and that photo is run on an on-deck computer. Then the computer tells whether you are on the list of insured drivers.

Why is insurance necessary?

Insurance is necessary to protect the interests of motorists and pedestrians. If your motor vehicle meets with any accident, then the cost of the damage of the vehicle is quite ruinous. But if you have insurance, you can claim it, and the insurance provider will have to pay for the losses.

Secondly, if we hit anyone in an accident and we have insurance, then the insurance provider will have to claim over the loss of the hit person. Otherwise, if we do not have insurance, we have to pay for the losses from our pocket.

What Happens If You Caught Driving Uninsured?

If you are driving without valid motor insurance, you will have to undergo various penalties and punishments. In some cases, the authority can also suspend your license.

Here's how different states deal with uninsured drivers:

Texas

If you get caught driving without insurance in Texas, you will have to pay a penalty of $350. Additionally, you must pay a license surcharge of $250 per year for 3 years for your first offense.

For your subsequent offenses, you will have to pay a fine of up to $1000 and the exact additional surcharge you paid for your first offense.

California

Driving without California insurance can charge you a fine of $100-$200 plus other state fees and assessments. And if you are caught for the subsequent time within 3 years of the previous offense, then you will have to pay a charge between $200-$500.

If the officer feels it necessary, they can also tow your vehicle, and you have to pay tow charges and fines.

New York

If you are driving uninsured in New York, then each time, you have to pay a fine of $150-$1500. The court can also imprison you for almost 15 days and seize your car. If someone else is driving your uninsured motor, you will have to pay the following penalties.

Authorities can revoke your driving license and registration if you drive an uninsured vehicle.

New Jersey

Driving an uninsured vehicle in New Jersey is a severe offense. According to state laws, the offender is sentenced to 14 days in jail. Along with this, the offender's driving license is also suspended for 1-2 years.

If he subsequently offenses, his driving license can also be suspended permanently.

Georgia

If you are driving in Georgia without insurance, you incur severe penalties. For the first offense, you must pay a lapse fee of $25 and a reinstatement fee of $60. Your license and registration will be suspended for 60 days, and imprisoned for 1 year.

The punishment for the second offense is the same as the first, but the second offense's license will be suspended for 90 days. For subsequent offenses, the lapse and reinstatement fee is $25 and $160, along with 6 months' suspension of license and 1-year jail.

Alaska

In Alaska, everyone who is driving should be responsible for the damages caused by them and should also have insurance to pay those losses. If anyone disobeys the law, he should pay a fine of up to $500, and his license will also be suspended for a period of 1 year.

Can Cops See your Insurance when they Run Your Plates?

Yes, the cops can see your insurance when they run your plates. Today, all cops have in-car computers to get all the information regarding licenses, insurance, and registration.

Also, cops can see your insurance when they run your plates with the help of ALPR systems which take a snap of the plate. Through the snap, they can get your detailed information.

If the cops notice any problem, they can run your plates without permission and pull you over.

Along with the fact that cops can see your insurance when they run your plates, there are a few more things also which they can have information about. The things they see include:

• Status of the license
• Name of the owner
• Expiry of the registration
• Unpaid parking tickets
• Information of insurance
• Year and type of the vehicle, etc.

Conclusion

You should always drive an insured car, as driving an uninsured car can lead to various penalties depending on the state. It is your fallacy if you think you will not get caught if you drive an uninsured car. There are various methods through which cops can catch you.

Cops can run your plates without your permission, tow your car, and cancel your registration and license. So it is suggested to always drive an insured car.

FAQs

How do the police catch uninsured drivers?

There are various techniques through which they can recognize uninsured drivers. The techniques include vehicle checkpoints, traffic violations, and the ALPR system. Other than these, they also use the MID (Motor insurance Database) technique.

Do cops inform you when they run your plates?

It's only sometimes necessary that they inform you. Sometimes if they have doubts about you, they can also run your plate without your information.

Can cops see your insurance when they run your plates?

Yes, they can see your insurance and your type of insurance by running your plates.