Loophole In Law Puts Intoxicated Drivers Back On The Road

September 21, 2011
People tend to think that once an impaired driver is caught, the law keeps them off the road for good. In Indiana though, a loophole in state law is allowing these impaired drivers back on the road; putting themselves and others in danger.
Eyewitness News 13 told the story of a Fulton County man whose license was suspended when he crashed his moped into a utility pole. He wore no helmet and was highly intoxicated from prescription drugs when he crashed. He also had no insurance on the vehicle.
Indiana state law permits drivers who have lost their driving privileges to drive a scooter. Scooters are not required to carry insurance, and drivers do not have to hold a license in order to operate the vehicle. Not to mention, helmet laws do not apply to anything under 50cc’s.
18 deaths this year alone have been attributed to accidents on scooters; up ten from last year’s total. Evansville Police told local lawmakers they have a total of 49 property damage reports involving scooters, of which, none carried insurance, ten were habitual traffic violators, and eight had currently suspended licenses.
State law makers have now introduced a bill which will require riders on equipment less than 50 cc’s to carry insurance and a title.
The Indiana Personal Injury Lawyers with Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin encourage you to contact them if you have been injured in an accident which involved a scooter.