The driver beside you may be driving illegally

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Police Departments across the nation are pulling over drivers to check their status, that they have up to date licenses, insurance coverage, and to see if they are fit to drive. Surprisingly these police officers are finding many drivers don’t belong on our highways and roadways.

In British Columbia an insurance blitz was carried out, finding dozens of drivers with outdated, or no insurance coverage at all. In six weeks, the BC Highway Patrol found over 177 operators uninsured. Each were issued $598.00 violation fines and ordered to bring undated insurance slips in seven days to a local police dispatch for verification. The head of the police department claimed that those found were just the tip of the iceberg, and that many drivers have been driving illegally since the pandemic, perhaps even earlier.

All sorts on infractions were found, such as drivers having lost their driver’s license due to a crime, DUI, habitual drivers without any identification, or license at all, outdated documents, impaired due to drugs, or alcohol, driving stolen vehicles therefore not insured, drivers can be too old, bad eyesight, influenced by medication. These blitz mentalities are the few ways the authorities can identify and stop the illegal practices going on.

The law states all drivers of motorized vehicles (cars, vans, SUVs and trucks) must have updated licenses with current backed insurance. Drivers should think about the risks of driving without insurance, which includes a severe fine, possible jail time and the possibility of civil suits by those who have been injured, or their property damaged by uninsured individuals. If someone has had their driver’s license suspended, but has insurance, realize driving illegally will suspend the insurer’s responsibility should an accident happen. Besides your license suspension, your vehicle will be towed. Sanctions of the court can be severe both financially and criminally.

Criminality on the roadway has become a problem for most communities, with an increase of 10-17% of drivers being impaired due to drugs or alcohol. Simple practices like using the turning signal, driving 1.5 car lengths from others seem to have been forgotten, as fender benders and miscalculations on our roadways increase in frequency and severity.

Further problems arise as people new to our climate challenges are trying to navigate themselves on winter roads. They have never been trained to drive on snow, ice, or be told snow tires are a good thing to purchase.

What do professionals seemingly require for future consideration:

Seniors over 68+ years of age must be interviewed every three years and their health concerns (eyesight/reaction capabilities, neck and head movements) taken into consideration before they are allowed to drive.

Every holder of a driving license is required by law to go every five years to an interview and practical exercise so they and their driving habits will be evaluated.

Use of snow tires should be encouraged, with an added enticement that a person using snow tires will receive a 20% reduction on their insurance coverage. Either that or mandate by law the use of snow tires. Governmental actions such as this should be followed by their interaction with those who sell snow tires, to reduce the cost of these products, making their use acceptable to consumers.

Those who have habitually bad driving histories could lose their licenses completely, requiring them to retest annually for a five-year period proving they are better drivers.

Driving on our highways and roads is a privilege that needs to be earned and not taken for granted. Common courtesy on the roads will keep many of us alive, unhurt and arrive at our destinations.