Lack of enforcement was determined to be a major contributor to the apparent ineffectiveness of Oklahoma’s Temporary Motorist Liability Program (TMLP), a 2013 law aimed at reducing the state’s significant number of uninsured drivers.
The TMLP grants law enforcement agencies the power to seize the license plate of a driver who is unable to provide proof of insurance. The plate is then replaced with a temporary tag that carries basic state minimum liability coverage, and the violator is given ten days to get their license back by showing proof of insurance coverage and paying a $125 fine.
However, while 2,066 offenders have been caught in 2015 alone, around 600,000 uninsured motorists remain in the streets of Oklahoma.
“We've seen absolutely no dip in the amount of ‘uninsureds’ in Oklahoma,” State Insurance Commissioner John Doak told News 9. Official figures estimate that 25 out of every 100 vehicles in the state are uninsured.
In contrast, the number of enforcement agencies actively using the law to apprehend violators was 67 this year, down from 74 last year. Even the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the state’s larger urban police departments like in Edmond have barely used the law.
Edmond Police spokesperson Jenny Wagnon said that a large number of the motorists they have pulled over do have coverage, but have neglected to bring proof (such as insurance cards) with them. According to Wagnon, what usually happens in such cases is that the apprehending officer simply provides a ticket that gives the driver a 30-day window to provide proof of coverage.
The law's proponents continue to push for greater participation among agencies, and are even contemplating digital solutions such as electronic flagging of violators’ vehicles to aid in enforcement.
