Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

The Attorney General of Texas
?d~wry 21, 1986
Eonorablo Srcpha C. Bovrrd Oplnloa 80. Ju-439
Orange County Att,miq
Courthowe h?: compllbnct vith etction 1A of
Orange, tcxbr 771630 article 6701b. T.T.C.S.. and the
diemissal of charges
Dear Xr. Itoward:
Pou have asked about the appllcat5on of etctlon 1A of articlt
670lh. P.T.C.S., the safety rtsponsibUity law, vhich provides thnr nc
motor vehicle ms,, be operated In this state
4824 Albbm AW, sunt ldo
El P*so, TX 799052793 unltst(I policy of automobile liabbilitg Insurance
DlY53MW
In st ltnrt minfmum amounts to provide
the
evidence of ffnancial responsibility under this
1001 Imar. suit* 700 Act III in effect to Insure bgbinst potential
Nouslon.lx. 770023111 loests vhich asp arise out of the operation of
712l22NSm that v tIhicle.
P.T.C.S. lrt. 6701h. llA(b).
The statute further provides:
Sec..1B. (a) On and after January 1, 1982,
UQO N. TtnIh. Suilt B
MCAIhn. 7x. 78501-1655 tvtq andlor gptcbtor in the Start of Ttxat
cmntr
5r2iaws47 shall be required, as s condition of driving, to
furnftrtr, upon rtqutst. evidence of financial
rtsporwlbbllity to a lav tnforctmtnt off%car of the
200 Main Plaza. Suite ux)
State of Tuar or tn]r subdivision thereof, or
Sm htonlo. TX. 792052797
5m22E-419~
agent of the Departcent, or to another person
involmtd in an sccidtut.
An Epual Oppwtunityl (b) The follwing tvldtnct of f lnbncial
Alllrmrtlrr Acllon Employs
rcspoosib~lity SbCi8f Its cbt rtqu1remtnt of
Subsection (a) of this ttcrion:
(1) a liabllit~ iosurance policy in tht
rainFoum limits required by this Act or a photocopy
of ttat policy;
. . . .
.
See. 1C. Tbilure to fineecitl
msintbln rsspoo-
libility &, dtffired in l(10) of this Act
soCti00
ie b cl&SO C lisk8tsnor, punishable by s fine of
not less than Smenty-fhe vllbts ($75). Sub-
sequent offenses rho11 be Clb@S B misdtmtbnors.
punishbble by t tint of not 1SSS thbn TV0 Eundrtd
Dollars ($200).
Sec. ID. Ir to prosecution under
1,~ 8 dtftast
this Act if the person charged products in court
en tutomobile Mobility insurbuc8 policy or 8
ctrtificbtc of es:lf-insurtnce prt.ViOUdy issued co
thst person thtc: V&S vslid tt the tint that the
offtnrt is blltgtd to hbvt occurred bnd the charge.
shell be dismisetd.
V.T.C.S. art. 6701h. S(lB. lC, 1D.
YOU 8uggtst 4 fact SituAtiOn vhtre 4 IsotOrjSt trrttttd for 4
violetion of crticle 6701h. section IA, vhile driving 8 borrowed cnr
thbt vss not insured by Ithe ovner. produced b policy of liability
insurance (thbt v&s in tfftct bt the time of the alleged viokition)
covering himstlf. You tot: vhtthtt the motorist in such t situation
vould be entitled to dismi,ssal of the thbrgt6 under section 10 of cht
statute. bnd vhtthtr, in ‘mcdtr to use the dtftnae. the policy produced
must “contnin lengunge Cxst he ib covered vhtn driving bu unlnsurtd
vehicle.”
In Attorney Gtntrrl Opinion I%‘-547 (19821, the “msniftst object”
bnd purpose of the proviblon vbs raid to be “to bssurt the finnncinl
rteponsibility of motorir,ts for the protection of those vhose livtc or
property might be htrmed by the OperbtiOKI of vehicles." Section 18
requires thbt every “ountr and/or tptfbtorn furnish evidence of
f intncial rtaponclb51ityJ bad= section ID it is 8 defense to
prosecution if the “ptrr;a& &f&d produces” on butomobllt libbility
insurance policy vhfch m!4:C8 cht rtquirtatntr of the bet.
If the operbtor, vbtthtr or oot he owns the vehicle, productb n
v&lid policy thbt adtqtrtrrcly protected tbt public at rht time be
optrbttd the vehicle. he is tnfitltd to dismmibS&l of the charge
against him under section 1D of brriclt 6701h. V.T.C.S. The polky
aced not ntctssbri~y cont.&in specific ltngubgt expressly referring to
vehicles “not insured by the ovut~ thereof.” so long 8s language in
the policy hta the lt(;rl result of providing stbtutorlly adequate
COVtrbgt for tht operator vhflt optrbring the vehicle bc the tiw of
the alleged vlolbtion. Cf.
,- Attorney Gtntrbl Opinion m-315 (1985);
IN-577 (1982).
Roaorrblo Stepbro C. Rourr~d- ?rgo 3 (Jn439)
It the operator charged with frllurr to
uttaio flrwcial rempoarlblllty producer an
automobile liability lnrurrnce policy vhicb met
the requiremanta of the rrfcty rcspoarlbilicy law
at tbo time be operated the vehicle, be ie
entitled to ditrmisaal of the charge rgainrt him
though the veHcle (if ovned by another) vae not
insured by the Owner. Ro rpecific policy language
is required SC’long aa it ir legally adequate to
eatirfy the atstute.
J-h
Very truly your
.
JIM l4ATTOX
Attorney General of Texas
JACK RIGETOWER
First Assistant Attorney General
MARTRELLEB
Executive Assistant Attorney General
ROBERTGUY
Special Assistant Attorney General
RICR GILPIN
Chairman, Opinion Comdttet
Prepared by Bxuct Younf,blood
Assistaot Attorney General