Yukon driver out of luck because of insurance gap

Source: CBC.ca

Yukon Territory - A Whitehorse man who was hit by a driver with no auto insurance says he won't get any compensation because of gaps that exist in the insurance system.

Tom Sweetland said he was driving on the Alaska Highway earlier this year when his pickup truck was hit by another vehicle.

It turned out the teenage driver of that vehicle did not have any insurance, and because Sweetland only had third-party liability, his insurance company would not cover his damages.

Sweetland said he can't even sue the young driver because she is younger than 18.

"At the end of the day, I was just out of luck," he told CBC News on Wednesday.

"The young lady that caused the collision, because she was under 18, I couldn't even go after her through the court system and get any money out of her that way."

Yukon RCMP say many people drive without insurance, while many others who are insured do not carry their insurance documents with them.

Motorists who are caught without insurance can get a $400 ticket and have their vehicle impounded.

"It's quite a problem," said Cpl. Shawn Pollard, head of the Yukon RCMP's traffic division. "We deal with it almost on a daily basis. However, it's a difficult thing for us at times."

Pollard said officers often feel uncomfortable impounding someone's car and leaving its occupants on the road just because the driver forgot to carry the auto insurance slip.

Police often give people a chance to bring their proof of insurance to the local detachment later, he said.