By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
The City of Russellville is sending a clear message to unlicensed drivers: Get a driver's license or find a ride.
The City of Russellville voted Monday night to adopt a new ordinance which requires unlicensed drivers to forfeit their vehicle if they are pulled over by city police.
The new ordinance follows a path of other cities that have similar ordinances in place. Police Chief Hargett said Florence has a similar ordinance, which will go into affect on Jan. 1, 2008. Athens was one of the first cities to put this type of ordinance in place.
"Athens towed close to 600 cars the first month [the ordinance was in place]," Hargett said.
The city has been looking at this ordinance for several months, and its success in other cities was a contributing factor for implementing it in Russellville.
Hargett said that the new law will not affect licensed drivers who do not have their license on them, only drivers who have not established a valid drivers' license.
"If we can prove that someone has a valid driver's license, their vehicle will not be towed," Hargett said. "But, if there is no information in the system that they have one, the vehicle will be towed with no warning."
Once the vehicle has been towed, Hargett said the owner will have to report to the police department with a valid drivers' license, proof of ownership and proof of insurance in order to get a form allowing the wrecker service to release the vehicle. The owner will be responsible for the charges from the wrecker service, which may include towing and storage if applicable.
"After 60 days, the wrecker service will be able to sell the vehicle to recover their costs," Hargett said.
In the event the vehicle's owner doesn't have a drivers' license, they will need to bring the documentation and a licensed driver with them to claim the car.
Hargett added there are several provisions in the ordinance that allows the unlicensed drivers to keep their vehicles, but each require they get out from behind the wheel.
If there is a licensed driver in the vehicle with the unlicensed driver, the vehicle will be turned over to the licensed driver in the car.
Hargett said the vehicles will not be towed if there is a legitimate medical emergency endangering life and limb, and that if the driver has a license that has been expired for 90 days or less.
The new ordinance goes into affect in Russellville on Jan. 1, 2008.