Cities toughen Mandatory Car Insurance Laws

The entire city of San Antonio will become a tow away zone for motorists who drive without liability insurance, under a law approved by city council, and prompted by a series of reports aired this summer on 1200 WOAI news.

As part of its 2006 budget, council approved a measure calling for the car of any motorist who is driving without insurance to be towed away.

Council rejected a compromise which would have given first time offenders a warning, and calls for vehicles to be towed when they are stopped by police for any reason, whether it is an accident, a routine stop, or a traffic violation.

Councilman Kevin Wolff, who spearheaded the measure, says the officers on the scene will be given some discretion.

"We don't want to leave a mother with three small kids stranded on the side of the road," Wolff said.

Wolff pointed out that the law requiring all drivers to have insurance is already on the books, so the city is just enforcing an 'existing law.'