Oklahoma Law Requires Drivers to Carry Liability Insurance
Oklahoma requires that if you drive a vehicle on a public roadway, that you carry at least a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage for each motor vehicle driven. The minimum coverage required is as follows:
$25,000 for motor vehicles for injury/death of one person;
$50,000 for injury/death of more than one person in a single incident; and
$25,000 for property damage. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 7-324.
This minimum provides a floor, not a ceiling. With healthcare and automobile costs rising every year, this floor provides a bare minimum of coverage. If you are in an accident carrying this minimum of liability, you could still be exposed to tens of thousands of dollars in liability if you are held at fault in a car accident in Oklahoma.
If you do not carry liability insurance at all, not only is your exposure to liability astronomical, you also face criminal penalties.
Possible Penalties
If you are stopped for a traffic violation or are involved in a traffic accident, you are required to show insurance. This is how drivers without insurance are caught. If you have insurance, you may show either a paper or electronic proof of insurance.
If you do not have insurance coverage, you can face fines, other fees, jail time and vehicle impoundment. If convicted, you could face a fine of as little as $250 to as much as $500, as many as 30 days in jail – or both – for this misdemeanor crime. In addition, your driver’s license may be suspended and your vehicle registration can be suspended. The law enforcement officer who discovers the infraction may also impound your vehicle, or seize the vehicle’s license plates. If your license plates are seized, you may retrieve them from the county sheriff or municipal police department involved by providing proof of insurance and paying an administrative fee of $125. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 7-606.
The Morass Of Courts and Administrative Requirements
If you are caught without a license as a result of a regular traffic stop, you could face criminal and administrative penalties. If the matter is discovered as part of a traffic accident in which you are at fault, you can add exposure to a civil lawsuit and civil judgment against you. The average cost of litigating a traffic accident once you include attorneys fees as well as the judgment against you, you could owe more than $100,000. If a fatality is involved, that number could be in the millions. You could lose everything you own and lose future earnings.
Even if your car is only impounded and your car registration and driver’s license suspended, getting your car back and your privileges restored can be difficult.
This can be a nightmare. If you are facing charges for lack of liability insurance, the help of an experienced attorney can be critical in helping you minimize the damages involved.
Initial Consultation With An Experienced Claremore Criminal Defense Attorney
Call the Claremore Lawyer today. Our lawyers are experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate. We are here and ready to help you. Call us at (918) 213-0950. If you prefer written correspondence, submit your question using the form at the top right of this page.
Tags: Claremore criminal defense attorney, Claremore misdemeanor defense attorneys, Oklahoma liability insurance defense attorneys, Oklahoma misdemeanor defense attorneys
