The next time you're stuck in traffic in Austin, take a look around. One in every five drivers is uninsured, according the Texas Department of Insurance.
Driving in Central Texas can be stressful enough without worrying about being hit by an uninsured driver.
"Twelve to 20 percent of people on the road doesn't have insurance," TDI spokesperson Ben Gonzalez said.
The insurance industry estimates that Texas drivers pay
about $900 million a year to protect themselves from uninsured
drivers.
"I recently renewed my insurance and my rates went up because of uninsured drivers. I have to cover people that aren't
covering themselves," driver Genny McCulluh said.
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Uninsured drivers
The Texas Department of
Insurance is creating a statewide
database for law enforcement.
 
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The Texas Department of Insurance says it's time to make those drivers take responsibility. They're creating a statewide database to catch uninsured motorists called the Texas Financial Responsibility Verification Program.
"These people are already breaking the law, this will just
identify who they are," Gonzalez said.
Once the system is in place, law enforcement officials will
immediately see whether a driver is insured when they run their plates. The Department of Insurance has already started collecting the data based on every car that's registered in the state.
"Whether or not they have an insurance policy that matches that registration. That's what we're finding out right now," Gonzalez said.
About 30 other states have a similar system. All of them have seen their rates of uninsured drivers go down by an average of five percent.
The Department of Insurance hopes to have the system up by January.
Drivers cited for not having insurance in Austin are fined $250. Drivers will still need to carry proof of insurance once the program starts.
