Arsenal visitors must maintain liability insurance on
vehicles
by Beth Skarupa
More than 3,000 visitors per week pass through the gates of
Redstone Arsenal, but the new year brings a new policy that
may cause the guards to turn some of those visitors
away: Drivers now have to show proof of insurance before
being issued a visitor's pass.
The new policy is in accordance with the Mandatory
Liability Insurance Act approved by Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman
in May.
Since June 1, 2000, Alabamians have been required not only
to maintain liability insurance on their vehicles, but to
carry proof of their insurance within their vehicles and
provide this proof to any law enforcement officer on demand.
Although Redstone Arsenal law enforcement personnel have
been enforcing the requirements of the law since it came into
effect, visitors have not been routinely asked for proof of
insurance at the Arsenal gates.
"The commander (of the installation) has the authority
to deny the privilege of driving on post, and could do so if a
driver is unable to provide proof of insurance," said
Capt. Andrew Sinn, a legal officer in Redstone's Office of the
Staff Judge Advocate.
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The law states that no
person shall operate, register or maintain registration of, or
permit another to operate, register or maintain registration
of, a motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is covered by a
liability insurance policy. The law does not apply to
vehicles that are properly registered in another state and are
not legally required to be registered pursuant to Alabama law.
Evidence of current liability insurance coverage must be
kept within the vehicle at all times. The evidence may
include, but is not limited to, the following: (a) An
insurance card, or temporary card, provided by the insurer;
(b) The combination of proof of purchase of the motor vehicle
within the previous 60 calendar days and a current and valid
insurance card issued for the motor vehicle replaced by such
purchase; (c) The current declarations page of a liability
insurance policy; (d) A liability insurance binder (or legible
copy), certificate of liability insurance (or legible copy),
or receipt for payment to an insurer or its authorized
representative for a liability insurance premium (or legible
copy).
The documents referred to in (d) must contain all of the
following information: |
insurance provider's name; policy
number (not required on a binder or premium receipt);
effective date; expiration date; name of insured(s); make,
model, year, and vehicle identification number of the vehicle;
date of premium payment (required only on premium receipt);
and signature of authorized insurance representative.
"If you have a rental car, you can show the rental
papers," said Maj. Dave Dunn, Redstone's provost
marshal. "The rental car papers should
suffice."
If a person is unable to display proof of insurance at a
gate checkpoint, their Alabama registration may be
suspended. In addition, they my be charged with a
misdemeanor and, if convicted, may be fined and/or have their
driver's license suspended. Any person failing to
provide proof of insurance may be issued a citation.
Drivers requesting visitor passes can expect to be asked
for proof of insurance at the Arsenal gates. If unable
to provide proof, not only will they not be allowed to drive
on the Arsenal, but they may be issued a citation.
Visitors need to be aware of this change.
"You are assumed to have knowledge of the law,"
Sinn said. "Ignorance is not a defense."
The writer is a Redstone Rocket staff
writer. |
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