Recently I was at the Woodstock DMV to renew a vehicle registration, and I had dutifully entered my liability insurance information on the reverse side of the form received in the mail from the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles.
I was able to avoid the bottleneck at the reception desk and proceeded directly to the Cashier. Feeling really smug about, this year, having sucked it up and having entered my insurance information on the renewal form and also my driver's license number on my check (which I usually challenge), I stepped right up the window and handed over the form and my check.
"You don't have to put the insurance information on the form," said the cashier.
WHAT? We have a mandatory liability insurance law in Illinois, and they aren't going to collect the information? I guess not.
The cashier did alert me to the importance of responding to any request for insurance information that I might get in the mail from the DMV. It's one of those, "Do it or else" deals. If I don't respond, they'll cancel my plates. Maybe my D/L, too? What if the request gets lost in the mail and I never receive it? What if I answer and mail it back, but it never gets there?
How many "random" insurance verification letters do they mail out? Why not continue to secure the insurance information at the time of renewal? When the cashiers aren't busy, they could enter the information right into the DMV database. They are getting paid to work, aren't they? How many times do you walk into the DMV and the clerks are standing there, gabbing because they have nothing to do?
What percent of Illinois vehicles have valid license plates but are not insured? 25%? 35%? More?
Why not link the DMV computers with insurance company computers? Surely, a simple window could be designed to avoid penalizing people who are a little late with their premium payments or who switch companies? But what about those who buy a policy and pay a month's premium, and then allow the policy to lapse for non-payment of the premium? They are still running around with the Insurance Card in the car that might pass inspection on a traffic stop.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
6 comments:
What if the question mark key on the keyboard breaks? That last part sounds like profiling to me.
tiredof, maybe it's too early for me, but I'm missing the connection to profiling. Will you please explain?
The point I was making is that a driver could present an Insurance Card that indicates insurance is in force, when it's really not because the underlying policy had lapsed for non-payment of a premium between the inception and expiration dates of the policy.
Why do you think so many Mexicans have WISCONSIN plates? Easy...they do not have a mandatory insurance law in Wisconsin. Cost of car ownership is must less w/o insurance. Go to Harvard and drive by the apartments and MULTI/MULTI family residences or trailer parks and notice all the Wisconsin plates. Visitors??? How about all the cars with "My Child is an Honor student at ( Name of Harvard school)" yet they have WISCONSIN plates. Many picking up kids at the schools. Wisconsin is more than happy to take their money and all they have is a PO box in Wisconsin or a friends house.
Now answer this. As an Illinois driver in a collioion with one of these drivers, how can you collect for damages. Would it be right to stop and ask them to proove resisency? Oh boy, racial profiling!
As I'm sure you know already, P.C. is needed for a traffic stop.
Unless you stop all traffic, say, for vehicle safety inspections or insurance law compliance checks. Keyword: all.
Or you make random stops of, say, every fifth car.
Harvard Police ought to be policing apartment complexes for out-of-state plates on residents' vehicles.
I have never walked in to the 'DMV' and seen the clerks standing around gabbing because they have nothing to do. Of course I don't have time to stand around and watch them either. Link the Sec. of States computers to all the insurance co. computers? Please. How late can the premiums be? How often can you switch companies? Any checking by a Sec. of States office employee that is not 'randomly scheduled' (irony intended) will have somebody screaming about profiling. Know why they don't require the info be filled out? THEY DON"T REALLY CARE! A scare tactic used by the insurance lobby through the legislation to keep profits high. If insurance is mandatory how come you need uninsured and underinsured coverage? The only problem with profiling is that it works.
@Chet-
Wisconsin mandated car insurance last June.
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