No Easy Solution to Cries for Proof of Car Insurance
Dear Street Smart:
Having just been rear-ended by a pickup truck, and finding that the driver had no insurance of any kind, may I offer a solution, which I am sure many have thought about?
Could the proof of insurance be tied to the yearly registration of a car? Maybe the company insuring the car could provide the policy number to the DMV and it could be printed on the registration.
If a person cannot afford insurance, it may well be that he or she can not afford to own and operate a car in Southern California.
W. Lee Truman, Orange
Every once in a while, legislation crops up that would require motorists to carry proof of automobile insurance, but the last such bill addressing this issue died in the state Capitol about 1 1/2 years ago, Jeffrey Spring, spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, said. The reason the bill was not reintroduced is because its author felt that a low-cost insurance program needed to be in place before it became mandatory that every motorist provide proof of insurance.
It is common for legislators to be hesitant to pass a proof of insurance bill without a low-cost insurance program in place, Spring said. Many initiatives similar to what you are suggesting have been proposed in recent years but have not passed, he said.
Emphasis now is on insurance reform to make coverage affordable, Spring said. Various ways of slashing insurance premiums have been discussed, like the innovative pay-at-the-pump program, which would add a surcharge every time a motorist bought gas.
One of the pitfalls of linking proof of insurance to the annual DMV registration of a vehicle is that people can easily let their insurance policy lapse after they’ve renewed their vehicle registration, Spring said. It would be impossible to monitor registrations throughout the year to see if insurance policies were kept current.
Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Fullerton) has authored an automobile insurance reform package that is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday in the Assembly Finance and Insurance Committee. For more information, call the assemblyman’s local office at (714) 738-5853.
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Dear Street Smart:
Regarding the on-ramp traffic meter at the Lakeview entrance of the westbound Riverside Freeway, why is the meter on at evening rush hour? The westbound side of the freeway is generally wide open, but because of the meter, traffic on Lakeview is usually backed up nearly to La Palma. This seems like an oversight that Caltrans could and should readily fix.
Lisa Foley, Placentia
Ramp meters are designed to detect and respond to traffic conditions on the freeways and ramps. As traffic volumes increase, the meter will respond by turning on. As traffic decreases, the meter will rest in green or turn off, Caltrans chief of traffic management Ed Khosravi said.
Caltrans is currently investigating this section of the Riverside Freeway. If changes in meter operations are necessary, they will be implemented, Khosravi said.
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Dear Street Smart:
Are there any plans to make a right-turn lane at the northbound off-ramp of the Orange Freeway and Lambert Road in Brea?
There are two exit lanes and both can make a left turn, backing up traffic that wants to turn right or head east. A right-turn lane would certainly help relieve congestion at peak times.
Russell Ware, Brea
No plans are in the works to widen the existing northbound ramp of the Orange Freeway or to construct an additional right-turn lane, Caltrans spokeswoman Rose Orem said. However, Caltrans will check the location, she added.
