Proposed bill looks to suspend licenses for Utah drivers caught without insurance

SALT LAKE CITY — State lawmakers are considering cracking down on drivers caught driving without insurance.

A bill being debated on Capitol Hill now also proposes taking your license away. As the bill sponsor told KSL, the goal is to make a bigger deterrent to drive without insurance. He said police in his district keep running into this problem, and he wants it to stop.

This is part of HB24. One section deals with speeders in school zones, while another would increase the penalty for drivers caught driving without insurance. Right now, Utah law says if you don't have insurance, you're guilty of a class C misdemeanor and have to pay a minimum $400 fine.

The proposed bill would change the law to add that drivers convicted of driving without insurance would have their license suspended, and they can't renew it or get a new one until they prove they have insurance.

Bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, said his district has had too many cases where drivers with no insurance were causing deadly accidents, leaving other drivers in a world of hurt.

"Not only are they now dealing with the terrible tragedy of losing a family member in an accident, or the other ones being permanently harmed, they're also having to cover the costs," Wilcox said.

The bill also states that if drivers later show they have insurance, they can get most of the fee waived, but they can't cancel their insurance for three years. If you do so and try to apply for a new license within that time, you can't get one until you get insurance again and can prove that you have it.

Just like other bills up for debate, this bill is being amended as it goes through committee meetings. It hasn't gone to the floor for a vote, but if passed, it would become law on May 6.

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