4 ms·

Potentially getting slightly off topic but how is that possible? In the UK the police can check insurance status just by typing the registration number into an

Potentially getting slightly off topic but how is that possible? In the UK the police can check insurance status just by typing the registration number into an app, which can be connected to ANPR (I know ANPR is contentious in the US). Couldn't you just have a couple of officers stand and type the registration in of all passing cars? They'd make a fortune in fines (which I know US police depts like) if 25% of drivers were uninsured?

HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
It wouldn't make any difference. While you are required to have at least liability insurance in most US states, I can tell you that here in MN there is no link between your insurance status and vehicle registration. When you register a vehicle, they ask for a policy number and expiration date. As long as that date is in the future, the registration will be issued. I know this because there have been times when I couldn't be bothered to look up my insurance policy and just made something up (at work, couldn't log into insurance site for some reason, etc.). Cars registered just fine.
toomuchtodo 3y ago
Not enough law enforcement for a variety of reasons, and people don’t buy insurance because of poverty. Can’t cite or ticket a car with no plate, illegible plate, etc and you’re not getting a fine out of someone who can barely afford their car already (no insurance). Complex socioeconomic issues as usual. I don’t plan on staying too much longer.
- extraduder_ire 3y ago
  This is another large distinction. IIRC for quite a few years now, if you're found driving without insurance in the UK, the car is confiscated and crushed into a cube. I may be confusing that with another "driving without $THING" offence. That might not work too good where you can get a new shitbox automobile for less than insurance costs.
  - HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
    Yikes. Definitely not here. At the most you get a fine and your car is impounded until you can show proof of insurance. I guess eventually they might destroy it, but I can't think of anything you can do that would result in immediate legal confiscation of the vehicle. Even if it's impounded and you can't get it registered/insured, if you show up with a tow truck and pay the impound charges, they'll let you take the car away.
WirelessGigabit 3y ago
You'd think right? Coming from Belgium the thought of driving without insurance / revoked license gives me goosebumps. But here, no-one cares. All people I know carry uninsured / underinsured coverage in case they get hit by a person in one of those categories. And even they are insured, their limits are so low that if someone crashes into you and totals your 1 month Tesla model 3, your underinsured will still need to kick in as limits can be as low as 15k / accident.
foogazi 3y ago
> In the UK the police can check insurance status just by typing the registration number into an app Why even type ? Scan license plates and issue the fine Why even fine ? Have an automatic fall back insurance assigned to you the moment your car is uninsured

HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago

It wouldn't make any difference. While you are required to have at least liability insurance in most US states, I can tell you that here in MN there is no link between your insurance status and vehicle registration. When you register a vehicle, they ask for a policy number and expiration date. As long as that date is in the future, the registration will be issued. I know this because there have been times when I couldn't be bothered to look up my insurance policy and just made something up (at work, couldn't log into insurance site for some reason, etc.). Cars registered just fine.

toomuchtodo 3y ago

Not enough law enforcement for a variety of reasons, and people don’t buy insurance because of poverty. Can’t cite or ticket a car with no plate, illegible plate, etc and you’re not getting a fine out of someone who can barely afford their car already (no insurance). Complex socioeconomic issues as usual. I don’t plan on staying too much longer.

extraduder_ire 3y ago
This is another large distinction. IIRC for quite a few years now, if you're found driving without insurance in the UK, the car is confiscated and crushed into a cube. I may be confusing that with another "driving without $THING" offence. That might not work too good where you can get a new shitbox automobile for less than insurance costs.
- HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
  Yikes. Definitely not here. At the most you get a fine and your car is impounded until you can show proof of insurance. I guess eventually they might destroy it, but I can't think of anything you can do that would result in immediate legal confiscation of the vehicle. Even if it's impounded and you can't get it registered/insured, if you show up with a tow truck and pay the impound charges, they'll let you take the car away.

WirelessGigabit 3y ago

You'd think right? Coming from Belgium the thought of driving without insurance / revoked license gives me goosebumps. But here, no-one cares. All people I know carry uninsured / underinsured coverage in case they get hit by a person in one of those categories. And even they are insured, their limits are so low that if someone crashes into you and totals your 1 month Tesla model 3, your underinsured will still need to kick in as limits can be as low as 15k / accident.

foogazi 3y ago

> In the UK the police can check insurance status just by typing the registration number into an app Why even type ? Scan license plates and issue the fine Why even fine ? Have an automatic fall back insurance assigned to you the moment your car is uninsured