Lawmaker pushes bill to impound uninsured vehicles

ktar.com
by Taylor Summers/KTAR
January 17th, 2012 @ 5:00am

PHOENIX - If Republican Rep. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills has his way, drivers without insurance could soon have their vehicles impounded if pulled over by police.

Kavanagh will push H.B. 2031 this next legislative session, which would make it the standard practice of law enforcement to impound uninsured vehicles.

"Uninsured motorists exact a very expensive toll on the rest of the driving public," said Kavanagh. "It's not fair that people don't carry their weight in terms of fiscal responsibility on the road."

According to Kavanagh, the enforcement of the bill would be easy and cheap. Police already have access to databases that can tell them whether or not a vehicle in question is insured. He also believes that his bill could be used to help stop illegal immigration.

"A large percentage of illegal immigrants drive uninsured vehicles," said Kavanagh. "The experience in other cities that have this type of policy is that it is also a deterrent for illegal immigration because they begin losing their cars and leave the city."

Lawmaker pushes bill to impound uninsured vehicles - KTAR.com