Court Opinion

ID: 9526969
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:26:27.869026+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:25:20.232873
License: Public Domain

D. E. Holbrook, J.
(concurring). This writer concurs in an effort to correct a serious situation now present in our no-fault insurance laws. This is one of many cases to come before this Court where an individual has been injured in an accident involv*601ing a vehicle without mandatory no-fault insurance. The situation of vehicles being driven in Michigan without insurance is "all too prevalent”. Victims of drivers of automobiles without mandatory insurance as required by our law are crying out for help and relief.
In the instant case, plaintiff was a 22-year-old man, employed by GTL Communications. On March 5, 1976, he was injured in an accident when the brakes on his employer’s 2-1/2-ton digger truck he was driving failed, causing the truck to leave the road and throw plaintiff from the cab. As of the date of the accident, neither the plaintiff nor anyone in his household owned a motor vehicle. Between March 5, 1976, and March 5, 1977, GTL Communications went out of business. Plaintiff had a very difficult time trying to find out who was GTL’s insurance company. Eventually plaintiff found out, only to find that the insurance had been cancelled five days prior to his accident.
In this state, a person receives a yearly license plate or tab upon evidence of proper no-fault insurance. In such instances, this evidences that the vehicle and owner has coverage. However, for any number of reasons this coverage may be cancelled during the period that the license plate is valid. Unfortunately, the vehicle is still driven by people intentionally violating the insurance laws and by people who do not know that the vehicle is uninsured. Also, persons are injured and killed by such uninsured vehicles, owners and drivers.
This writer suggests that a way to cut down on the number of vehicles being used without insurance is to provide a way to take their license plates. This can be done by requiring the insurance companies to notify the Secretary of State’s office 30 days in advance when a vehicle’s insur*602anee is to be cancelled or terminated. The Secretary of State would then notify the owner of the vehicle to show proof of insurance coverage within ten days and, upon failure to so show, then to seize the vehicle’s license plate. The cost of this service could be required to be paid for by the delinquent vehicle owner. This would prevent uninsured vehicles from being on the road and also prevent unsuspecting drivers or passengers from using a vehicle which is uninsured.
If such a plan had been in effect, the instant case would have been prevented.
This writer reluctantly concurs with the opinion of my brothers for the reason that the law as presently written affords no relief under the facts of this case.