A bill slated to come before the Legislature in January would increase the penalties for people driving without proper insurance.
"There's been a move by several other legislators to require or make available more insurance for people . . . so if they get hit by an uninsured motorist, they're covered," said Rep. Janet Rose, D-Salt Lake. "But that only carries half the equation, and it shifts the responsibility."Rose and Rep. Ray Short, R-Salt Lake, are sponsoring the bill, HB3, which is an attempt to spread liability. "We need to send the message that the people who are driving without insurance have to take increased responsibility as well," Rose said.
The legislation would make operating an uninsured vehicle, or allowing one to be operated, a Class A misdemeanor. A Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum fine of $10,000 and one year in jail. The bill would apply the same penalty to a driver who operated a vehicle knowing its owner was not insured.