TULSA, Okla. — The Uninsured Vehicle Enforcement Diversion program cracks down on uninsured motorists in Oklahoma.
“Everybody I talk to knows somebody who’s been in an accident with an uninsured driver and it’s just a headache," Amanda Arnall Couch, the program's director, said.
UVED was formed in November 2018 after studies reported high rates of uninsured drivers in Oklahoma. According to the Insurance Information Institue, more than a quarter of Oklahoma drivers were operating vehicles without insurance in 2012 — the highest rate in the country.
"There were about 350,000 drivers on an uninsured list," Arnall Couch said.
Now, that number is down to around 215,000 thanks to the state's scanner camera system. In December 2020, UVED partnered with Rekor Systems, Inc. to place 50 cameras at high traffic intersections around the state.
The cameras scan vehicle license plates and compare the ownership registry to a list of uninsured drivers compiled by the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
“If you’re on the list showing as uninsured, we send you a notice that says, ‘Hey, we saw you on a roadway. That’s illegal,'" Arnall Couch said.
UVED also warns the driver to buy insurance coverage and enroll in its program at a $174 cost. If not, the next violation could buy the motorist a court date.
“We wanted to give people the opportunity to correct the problem," Arnall Couch said.
Arnall Couch told 2 Works for You, the program has generated $3.3 million. She said that money self funds the program and the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
For more information about the UVED program, click here.
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