Oklahoma has been considered as one of the top states that have the highest percentage of uninsured motorists, and to address such problem, state authorities are going after those who ignore the state auto insurance law.

Recently, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) sets their eyes on the uninsured drivers in Tulsa County, teaming up with the local sheriffs.

To crackdown on Oklahoma auto insurance law violators, OID’s Anti-Fraud Unit is partnering with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and with the aid of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in setting up checkpoints on different areas.

The first checkpoint was set up on November 17 in West Tulsa. This checkpoint netted out 60 citations, 31 of which for driving without the required auto insurance coverage. The operation also resulted to the towing of 11 uninsured vehicles.

OID Commissioner John Doak described the first checkpoint to be “very enlightening”. He cited one case wherein a woman was flagged-down and was found to be driving under suspension. That woman told the authorities that she could no longer remember when the last time she had auto insurance.

Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz described the checkpoint and the amount of citations that were given to be “impressive as it was disturbing”. Glanz sounded alarm on the fact that there are many drivers operating vehicles on Oklahoma’s public roadways without auto insurance. He said that such “is an alarming trend and a quality of life issue”.

On the other hand, a Republican lawmaker in Tulsa, Rep. Dan Kirby lauded the insurance department and the sheriff’s office efforts on cracking down uninsured motorists. He said that such operation was very much needed. Kirby reiterated the fact that around 25 percent of Oklahoma drivers are uninsured.

Doak disclosed that one in every four drivers in the said state does not have the required minimum liability insurance coverage.

OID’s involvement in the said operations is being funded by the department’s Anti-Fraud Revolving Funds.