[R.O. 1991 § 385.160; Ord. No. 2254-04 § 1, 3-16-2004]
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.
1.
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.
2.
Proof of financial responsibility
may be shown by any of the following:
a.
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.
b.
A certificate of the State Treasurer
of a cash or security deposit according to Section 303.240, RSMo.
c.
A surety bond according to Section
303.230, RSMo.
3.
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.
4.
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
Section 303.025, RSMo., at the time the Peace Officer wrote the citation.
5.
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.
[R.O. 1991 § 385.170; Ord. No. 2254-04 § 1, 3-16-2004]
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.
[R.O. 1991 § 385.180; Ord. No. 2254-04 § 1, 3-16-2004]
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.