MANY FLOUT CAR INSURANCE RULES

In Missouri, driving without insurance is a way of life for many motorists who regularly ignore the state's financial responsibility law.

The law requires motorists to show financial responsibility, which, for most motorists, means carrying liability insurance.

State Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, wants to put the brakes on uninsured motorists and put some teeth into a law that even the Missouri Department of Revenue doesn't stringently enforce.

There are no exact figures on how many of the state's 4.3 million motorists routinely drive without liability insurance.

But a report released this year by the Missouri Department of Insurance shows that 11 percent of private passenger cars and light-weight trucks -- more than 400,000 out of 3.6 million vehicles -- weren't insured for liability in 1994.

In Southeast Missouri, the percentage of uninsured vehicles was even higher, totaling nearly 16 percent on average in the 19-county area.

Only four counties in the region had less than double-digit percentages: Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Perry and Ste. Genevieve counties.

The lowest was in Ste. Genevieve County, where less than 5 percent of the 12,000 registered vehicles weren't insured for liability.

Many Southeast Missouri counties were at 17 percent or higher.

The highest was in Pemiscot County where nearly 30 percent of the 12,618 registered vehicles weren't insured for liability.

In the small town of Pascola, near Hayti, 80 percent or 64 of the 80 registered vehicles weren't insured.

Statewide, Pemiscot County was second only to the city of St. Louis in the percentage of uninsured vehicles. Nearly, 33 percent or 55,000 of St. Louis' 168,000 vehicles weren't insured for liability.

Thomason said the report is somewhat misleading in that the liability insurance policies on which the report is based don't always correspond to where the vehicles are registered. As a result, percentages can be off, particularly within cities.

But he said on a countywide basis, the percentages paint an accurate picture.

In Southeast Missouri, the figures suggest that one in seven motorists is driving without insurance, Thomason said. "That is just too many." Statewide, the figure is one in nine.

Missouri motorists must sign a financial responsibility form when they renew their license plates every year.

But many motorists simply lie about having insurance, said Thomason.

He recounted the story of two women who renewed their plates at a Kansas City area license bureau. Both indicated they had insurance.

They ended up backing their vehicles into each other in the license bureau parking lot. It was discovered that neither had insurance.

Thomason has tried unsuccessfully for six years to push through legislation to stiffen the penalties for driving without insurance.

The bill had widespread support in the House, passing by a vote of 152-2.

But for the third year in a row, it died in the Senate where it was one or two bills away from being debated when the legislative session ended last month.

"I think people are ready to support a bill like that," said state Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau.

"We need to start early next year and make sure we get final action on it," Kinder said.

Thomason's bill imposes fines on motorists who drive without insurance.

Motorists found guilty of driving without insurance would be fined a minimum of $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second and $500 for the third and any subsequent offense.

If the motorist can't pay the fine, the judge could sentence the person to 30 days in jail for each $100 owed.

Uninsured motorists would lose their drivers' licenses and have to pay for all the damages arising from accidents they caused and show proof of financial responsibility before they could get the licenses back.

The penalties would be in addition to any administrative suspension of the driver's license by the Department of Revenue.

Currently, uninsured motorists don't have to make restitution for damage caused in accidents. The insured driver and his insurance company end up paying the bill.

That leads to higher auto insurance premiums, Thomason said. "In essence, we are subsidizing the people who fail to buy insurance."

Missouri can't suspend the licenses of out-of-state motorists who drive uninsured in this state. But Thomason said such drivers could be fined or sentenced to jail like any other uninsured motorist under his bill.

Missouri motorists currently have their licenses suspended and have to pay a reinstatement fee at the conclusion of their suspensions.

The Department of Revenue suspends the licenses of Missouri drivers for 60 days for the first offense, a year for the second, and two years for the third or any subsequent offense.

The drivers also must pay a reinstatement fee of $200 for a first offense to get their license back; $400 for a second, and $800 for a third or any subsequent offense.

The motorists also have to carry insurance or show proof of financial responsibility for three years. If they cancel the insurance during that time, their licenses can be resuspended.

Thomason's bill would hike the reinstatement fee to $1,000 for motorists who have two or more prior suspensions.