HP DPS Enacts New Impounding Policy This Friday
I would think twice about driving your car in Highland Park if you are uninsured or don’t have a valid license.
Beginning May 25, Highland Park DPS will now impound the vehicles of motorists who are unlicensed, uninsured or have an invalid or suspended license.
The new policy is being enacted to protect motorists from people who don’t or can’t comply with state requirements, according to a press release.
“So many motorists complain about the numbers of uninsured drivers that freely drive the streets and highways. We will now take an additional step and impound the car of persons stopped for traffic that cannot produce a valid driver’s license or insurance.”
— Sgt. Lance Koppa
HP DPS will do everything they can to determine license and insurance status before impounding any vehicle and once they decide to, the officer will take reasonable action to protect the vehicle and get the driver and other occupants to a safe location, according to the press release.
Hopefully, this will keep unsafe drivers and underage joyriders off the streets. But sometimes people like to live life dangerously, which ends up bad for people who do the right thing.
While impounding a car for failure to provide a valid license or having insurance sounds like overkill, it seems like a good move. That, however, is only because nothing brings me more joy in life than having someone with no insurance hit me in an accident.
What was the policy before this? Just let them drive off on their merry way?
They should impound the drivers too. My wife was recently struck (in her car) with our son who was just picked up from school. The person in an ancient white pickup truck pulled over and then sped off, once she got out of the car. If its a law, it should be properly enforced.