All the officer has to do is pull you over and run your plates.
He or she will know immediately whether you have auto insurance.
In fact, they don’t even have to pull you over.
Police can run your plates on the road and if you come up as uninsured, the officer can pull you over and write you a ticket.
According to Brandon Hewitt, an attorney with Michigan Auto law, every 14 days, Michigan auto insurance companies must notify the Michigan Secretary of State of the vehicles they insure.
This data is available to the police through the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) system – which police officers can access through their in-car computers.
Hewitt said, in 2015, Michigan police were given authorization to access the LEIN system from their in-car computers.
He said it is dangerous to drive without insurance in Michigan and this makes it more difficult for people to do so without getting caught.
Hewitt cited some of the dangers inherent when driving without auto insurance in Michigan:
- Being found guilty of a misdemeanor
- Having to pay a fine between $200 and $500
- Being jailed for up to one year
- Having your driver’s license suspended
- Being prohibited from renewing your vehicle registration
- Being disqualified from suing the at-fault driver who injured you in a crash for pain and suffering compensation
- Being disqualified from recovering No-Fault benefits to cover medical bills and lost wages after being injured in a car crash
- Being sued and held financially liable for the medical bills and lost wages of anyone else injured in a crash that you were involved in while driving your own uninsured vehicle – even if you were 100% not at-fault for the auto accident
For more information, or to talk to an attorney, call 833-411-MICH or visit www.michiganautolaw.com.