[Ord. No. 740 §1(645.005 2,
5 — 7), 3-13-2000]
A.
No owner
of a motor vehicle registered in this State or required to be registered
in this State shall operate the vehicle, or authorize any other person
to operate the vehicle registered or maintain registration of a motor
vehicle, or permit another person to operate such vehicle, upon the
streets or the alleys of this City, unless the owner maintains the
financial responsibility as required in this Section which conforms
to the requirements of the laws of this State. Furthermore, no person
shall operate a motor vehicle owned by another with the knowledge
that the owner has not maintained financial responsibility unless
such person has financial responsibility which covers the person's
operation of the other's vehicle. However, no owner shall be in violation
of this Subsection if he/she fails to maintain financial responsibility
on a motor vehicle which is inoperable or being stored and not in
operation.
B.
For purposes
of this Section, the term "financial responsibility" shall mean the ability to respond in damages for liability on account
of accidents occurring after the effective date of proof of said financial
responsibility, arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of
a motor vehicle, in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00)
because of bodily injury to or death of one (1) person in any one
(1) accident, and, subject to said limit for one (1) person, in the
amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) because of bodily injury
to or death of two (2) or more persons in any one (1) accident, and
in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) because of injury
to or destruction of property of others in any one (1) accident.
C.
Proof
of financial responsibility may be shown by any of the following:
1.
An insurance
identification card issued by a motor vehicle insurer or by the Director
of Revenue of the State of Missouri for self-insurance. A motor vehicle
liability insurance policy, a motor vehicle liability insurance binder,
or receipt which contains the name and address of the insurer, the
name and address of the named insured, the policy number, the effective
dates of the policy and a description by year and make of the vehicle,
or at least five (5) digits of the vehicle identification number or
the word "Fleet" if the insurance policy covers five (5) or more motor
vehicles shall be satisfactory evidence of insurance in lieu of an
insurance identification card.
2.
A certificate
of the State Treasurer of a cash or security deposit according to
Section 303.240, RSMo.
3.
A surety
bond according to Section 303.230, RSMo.
D.
Proof
of financial responsibility shall be carried at all times in the insured
motor vehicle or by the operator of the motor vehicle if the proof
of financial responsibility is effective as to the operator rather
than to the vehicle. The operator of an insured motor vehicle shall
exhibit the insurance identification card on the demand of any Peace
Officer, commercial vehicle enforcement officer or commercial vehicle
inspector who lawfully stops such operator or investigates an accident
while that officer or inspector is engaged in the performance of the
officer's or inspector's duties.
E.
Any person
failing to exhibit an insurance identification card or other satisfactory
evidence of insurance in lieu of such card upon the demand of any
Peace Officer pursuant to this Section is guilty of an offense. However,
no person shall be found guilty of violating this Section if the operator
demonstrates to the court that he/she met the financial responsibility
requirements of this Section at the time the Peace Officer wrote the
citation.
F.
Failure
of any person who operates a motor vehicle on the streets, alleys
or highways of this City to exhibit proof of financial responsibility
on the demand of any Peace Officer who lawfully stops such person
shall create a rebuttable presumption that such person, or that the
owner of the vehicle, does not maintain financial responsibility as
required herein. It shall be a mitigating circumstance to a violation
charged under this Section that the operator, subsequent to the date
of the offense and prior to a trial or guilty plea, obtained and maintained
financial responsibility which covers operation of motor vehicles
by such operator.
G.
Any person convicted of driving a motor vehicle without proof of financial responsibility shall be fined two hundred dollars ($200.00). Said fine shall be reduced to fifty dollars ($50.00) if said person provides proof of financial responsibly acquired subsequent to the citation as a mitigating factor under Subsection (F) above.
H.
Upon
issuance of a citation hereunder, the Missouri Department of Revenue
shall be notified upon forms provided by that department of the failure
of an operator or owner of a motor vehicle to exhibit proof of financial
responsibility.
I.
Any person
who violates any provisions of this Section shall be guilty of an
ordinance violation and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished
by a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than three
hundred dollars ($300.00) for each and every violation.
No person shall display evidence of insurance to a Law Enforcement
Officer knowing there is no valid liability insurance in effect on
the motor vehicle as required pursuant to this Article, or knowing
the evidence of insurance is illegally altered, counterfeit or otherwise
invalid as evidence of insurance. If the Law Enforcement Officer issues
a citation to a motor vehicle operator for displaying invalid evidence
of insurance, the officer shall confiscate the evidence for presentation
in court. Any person convicted of violating this Section is guilty
of an ordinance violation.
No person shall alter an invalid insurance card to make it appear
valid. No person knowingly shall make, sell or otherwise make available
an invalid or counterfeit insurance card. Any person who violates
this Section is guilty of an ordinance violation.
