Posted on 09/09/2007 11:37:38 AM PDT by dennisw
The success of an Athens law that impounds vehicles driven by unlicensed motorists is encouraging Decatur Mayor Don Kyle to support an even stricter ordinance.
The Athens ordinance took effect Aug. 10 and snaked 299 vehicles off the street in less than four weeks. Police averaged nearly 18 vehicles per day.
To retrieve vehicles, owners must pay fines, towing fees, a $25 administrative fee and show proof of liability insurance. Only a licensed driver can get the vehicle out of impound.
Since the law took effect, one Athens towing company employee said the rate of car accidents has decreased dramatically, but towing services are busy with impoundments.
That success is encouraging Kyle, who hopes to present his tougher ordinance to the City Council this fall.
“In Decatur, we want people driving who are eligible to drive and who are insured to protect other drivers if they make a mistake,” he said. “This is a doable goal.”
While the city has not released a draft of the proposed ordinance, Kyle said it will likely include provisions for towing the vehicles of unlicensed and uninsured drivers.
He also said his version will have more aggressive fees than the one in Athens — though the fees are yet to be agreed upon.
A final departure from the Athens ordinance concerns what to do with motorists whose vehicles are impounded. In Athens, the police offer the subject a ride home, but Kyle said Decatur police will not be required to do the same.
“We may offer to call someone, but we’re not going to run a taxi service,” he said. “And we’re not going to occupy a police officer’s time waiting with them.”
Controversy
Despite the successful numbers in Athens’ ordinance, critics maintain the new law unfairly targets illegal immigrants, who do not have the ability to obtain a driver license or insurance.
According to one Athens towing company employee, a majority of the vehicles impounded since the new law took effect do belong to illegal immigrants.
Kyle commented on the controversy in an interview with The Daily in July, saying his intent is not to target any particular group other than unlicensed, uninsured drivers. He said he felt it was his duty as mayor to enforce the laws already on the books.
“If we stop people that either don’t have a license or can’t prove they have insurance, they’re in violation of the law,” he said. “If we let them get back in that car and drive off, we’re aiding and abetting their violation.”
Logistics
Concerns over the proposed ordinance involve the logistics of impounding the high volume of vehicles anticipated if the ordinance is approved.
Already this year, Decatur police have issued more than 2,100 citations to drivers without a license or proof of insurance or both.
Over the past three years, the Decatur Police Department issued an average of 10 citations a day for the violations.
That volume could create a strain for local towing companies, said Mike Turner, owner of McBride Wrecker Service in Decatur.
Most cannot handle more than 30 to 50 cars at a time, he said.
If owners do not pick up their cars quickly enough, it could create a problem.
“None of us have huge lots, so it’s going to put a strain on everyone’s storage facilities, but mostly I feel it’s a positive,” Turner said.
Other concerns involve what the standard towing and storage fees will be. Kyle said the fee amounts will not be written into the ordinance, but he would like the towing companies to agree on a uniform rate.
Towing company owners say that could be costly for them, especially if they are forced to deal with many vehicles that are never claimed. Just to declare the vehicle abandoned costs at least $100 in filing fees, said Susie Fisher, owner of B&W Wrecker Service in Decatur, but some vehicles are worth only about $50 when sold for junk.
“We lose money on these junk cars,” she said. “There’s a lot of different things that go into it, and I don’t think it should be up to the mayor what I charge.”
The law targets “illegals”?
I think the law targets people who break the law. My sister who lives in the S/W has been hit 3 times. In all three cases the driver was not insured and disappeared so the repairs came from her policy.
Somebody wants to loan their car to a family member, better ask to see their license.
Great idea. Should be adopted nationwide. No license? No papeles? No coche.
A nationwide policy that could save American lives. How long before the ACLU gets involved????
Awww. Well then go home! I suppose we just need to suspend all our laws so the illegals won't be inconvenienced.
Impacted? Oh, for a second I thought it said illegals were COMPACTED....
So what in blazes are they (illegals) doing driving a car? If I get in an accident with one of them and I'm not at fault, why should I or my insurance company have to pay? I think Athens has the right idea.
-Traveler
That’s a start. Communities are taking charge of the situation if the federal government fails to act. Illegals cause a great percentage of the accidents and and are not insured for the most part. Get em off the streets. I imagine that car loan firms will foreclose on these cars and we’ll have another lending crisis like the mortgage lender crisis for those lenders who sold mortgages to illegals. It’s only getting worse. Close the friggen border already.
I believe this is Decatur, Alabama. And Athens, Alabama.
‘Kinda curious if we have this type of ordinance here in OKC. I’ll have to look into that.
If we do have it, it doesn’t seem like it’s enforced. We’re having a rash of wrecks involving uninsured motorists, and worse yet, leaving-the-scene incidents.
And this line from the piece really gets me...
“Despite the successful numbers in Athens’ ordinance, critics maintain the new law unfairly targets illegal immigrants, who do not have the ability to obtain a driver license or insurance.”
Well, waaah! In fact they do have the ability to get a license and insurance. It’s a priveledge (not a right) available to those who will follow the stinkin’ laws.
Laws do tend to target ILLEGAL activities. Driving without a license is ILLEGAL. ILLEGAL immigrants can’t get a valid license. ILLEGALS driving unlicensed and uninsured harm LEGAL residents so taking away something of value is punishment. End of story.
Has the world gone completely nuts?
critics maintain the new law unfairly targets illegal immigrants, who do not have the ability to obtain a driver license or insurance
If I drive without a license or insurance, my car is also subject to seizure. The law applies to all people.
Explain to me, then, why some of us SHOULD have to have insurance. It is a financial hardship on everyone, because there is always another way to spend $1500! But ‘it is a hardship’ on illegals? I thought we were a country of ‘equal under the law.’
hmmm.
Great point, Ron. It’s not unfair in the least (unless one wants special treatment).
“The law targets “illegals”?”
Good on Athens. The law doesn’t target illegals but if it gets some of those goons off the road, i’ll take that as a positive. Unlicensed drivers are more dangerous than licensed drivers. Driving is a privilege and those who don’t abide by the rules don’t deserve to own a 3000 lb weapon.
Damn right, and it should be a nation wide law, if we just had some political leadership.
spend $1,500???????
I can tell you don’t have two teenage drivers living at home.
:-)
What about all those annoying laws that target legal citizens? Can I disobey them if I find them inconvenient or burdensome? Paying income tax comes to mind. I’m sure with a little effort we could think of more laws that unfairly target those of us who are here legally.
Odd. Legal immigrants don't have that problem.
Oh yeah, I hear that it's absolutely impossible to get a drivers license anywhere in Mexico. Or insurance...Or tags... All those plates I see out my way with Sonora and Chihuahua stamped on 'em must be fakes.
Oooh! Maybe...just maybe...they're here LEGALLY!
Nah. I think I'm just seein' things.
They could surely get a driver's license and insurance back in their home countries. Maybe the problem is that they are not where they are supposed to be, not our laws.
I have lived overseas in countries where I could not obtain a driver's license. And you know what? I didn't drive!
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