City to begin towing motorist operating without financial responsibility

The Breckenridge City Commissioners passed an ordinance to begin towing vehicles that are operating without financial responsibility. The final reading for the ordinance occurred during the Tuesday, September 1 meeting inside the Breckenridge City Office Chambers.

The ordinance will take effect on Thursday, October 1, and will authorize Breckenridge Police Department officers to remove or impound any vehicle where the operator has failed to maintain, or cannot present proof of, the required financial responsibility.

“[Breckenridge Police Chief] Bacel Cantrell came to me and asked if we could look into this and what other cities are doing,” Heather Robertson-Caraway, co-interim City Manager said. “My research, I put together this ordinance and basically what this will allow is when police officers pull someone over for a traffic violation and they do not have insurance, the ordinance will give officers the ability to tow vehicles.”

The Commissioners decided on the ordinance as they believe “it is in the best interest of citizens of the City to adopt a policy that will aid in decreasing the number of operators in the City who drive without proof of financial responsibility.

According to ordinance No. 20-13,” the City of Breckenridge citizens suffer significant financial hardships twhen involved in a crash with an uninsured motorist.”

The new ordinance is consistent with Chapter 601 of the Texas Transportation Code. According to the Transportation Code Chapter 601: Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act.

“Financial responsibility” means the ability to respond in damages for liability for an accident that: (A)occurs after the effective date of the document evidencing the establishment of the financial responsibility; and (B)arises out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle.

Under the ordinance, the duration of the impoundment will be a max imum of 180 days; the court may not order the release of the vehicle unless the owner applies to the court for the vehicle’s release and provide evidence of financial responsibility.

BPD is also authorized to develop and require a financial responsibility verification form for any operator to obtain the release of any vehicle removed or impounded. The fee for the financial responsibility verification form shall be ten dollars and is in addition to any applicable towing or storage charges.