The Issue:
"An average of a little more than 8,000 people were killed each year in driving-without-a-license crashes"
This is according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report "Unlicensed to Kill", that's 20 percent of all fatal crashes.
By comparison, DUI drivers are involved in 32 percent of fatal crashes. Read the AAA sequel study Unlicensed to Kill - The Sequel 2003.
In California:
Effective January 1, 2012, then California Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) stopped the impounding of unlicensed drivers cars at DUI checkpoints with his legislation (AB 353). He feels that taking unlicensed drivers cars at DUI checkpoints unfairly targets illegal aliens. Sobriety Checkpoints Under Attack Cedillo has now authored legislation to grant illegal aliens a driver license. 47 other states disagree with Cedillo and prohibit licensing illegal aliens.
"It's more important that people who are in the country illegally get to drive,
than it is that people who are here get to live"
Dec 20, 2012 -- A new California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) study found that suspended/revoked and unlicensed drivers are much more hazardous on the road than validly licensed drivers, and vehicle impoundment to be highly effective in reducing crashes. read the report
Yet, LA Mayor Prior Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck instituted a plan to stop impounding unlicensed drivers cars in Los Angeles. They ignored public safety and California state law, which requires officers to impound unlicensed drivers cars for 30-days. In addition, Beck recently announced he wants to give licenses to illegals, and that a Birth Certificate (a description of a baby), or a Mexico Matricula Consular (read the FBI report on this worthless, unauthenticated document favored by illegal aliens) was an acceptable form of identification for a citation and to avoid an impound. Injuries, hit and run accidents and deaths continue as fallout from this ridiculous policy. (LA Times)
Villaraigosa & Beck feel that protecting the public with this legal, mandatory and necessary enforcement action "unfairly targets" illegal aliens.
However...
- The US Supreme Court disagrees. In Delaware v. Prouse, the court commented that agencies could "develop methods for spot checks" if a neutral formula were used to determine which cars were stopped.
- The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also disagrees. In Salazar v. City of Maywood, et al. , District Court Judge S. James Otero denied class certification and ruled against the plaintiffs on summary judgment. Affirming, the 9th Circuit held: "Section 14602.6 applies only in very limited circumstances. The statute authorizes impoundment of vehicles for up to thirty days when an individual is found to be driving with a suspended or revoked license or without ever having been issued a driver's license. This limited application accords with the California legislature's determination that such a temporary forfeiture is warranted to protect Californians from the harm caused by unlicensed drivers — a determination we have no basis to reject."
- LA Police Commissioner Alan Skobin disagrees with the impound policy change.
- Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley disagrees, says Beck is wrong on impound policy change, city will be liable. read the letter
- The Office of Legislative Counsel disagrees, says Beck is wrong on impound policy change. read the opinion
- The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the official representative of LAPD Officers disagrees in a very clear opposing perspective to the LAPD Chief’s policy. Read their two articles on the dangers of unlicensed drivers;
"Disregarding state law proves deadly – again" read the article
"A dangerous and potentially costly departure from state law" read the article - Public polls show an overwhelming (85% to 95%) of people disagree with Villaraigosa, Beck and Cedillo's law and policy changes
Don't agree with politics over your safety and the law?
Tell the mayor and the chief how you feel.
We made it simple to email the mayor and other elected representatives. Tell them your safety is more important than their political agenda.
or
Council President Herb Wesson Jr.
200 N. Spring Street, Room 430
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213)-473-7010
wesson.hj@lacity.org
Mayor Eric Garcetti
200 N. Spring St., Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-978-0600
agarcetti@lacity.org
In Los Angeles:
! news updates:
Los Angeles, CA April 10, 2013 Veteran On-Duty LAPD Motor Officer Killed By Woman With Expired License Since 2005 read more
Los Angeles, CA December 30, 2013 Los Angeles Has The Distinction of Being The Hit-and-Run Capital Of The Country read more
Los Angeles, CA December 30, 2013 LAPD Police Unions President's Car Totaled By Unlicensed Driver read more
Los Angeles, CA December 18, 2013 Appeals Court Issues Stay Allowing LAPD Chief Beck's Eased Policy for Unlicensed Drivers To Keep Cars read more
Los Angeles, CA August 12, 2013 Judge Rules Against LAPD's Special Order 7 Impound Policy - Orders Impounds to Resume read more
Los Angeles, CA October 11, 2012 Los Angeles: Unlicensed Driver Capitol of the US read more
Los Angeles, CA October 1, 2012 Los Angeles has four times the average of hit and run accidents.
Los Angeles, CA September 14, 2012 Unlicensed Driver Injures 7 While Texting in Metro Bus Crash.read more
Los Angeles, CA August 30, 2012 Mom, 2 Daughters Killed by Suspended License Driver in Los Angeles During LAPD Enforcement Ban. read more
Los Angeles, CA July 16, 2012 Unlicensed driver leads police on chase ending in a car crash. read more
Los Angeles, CA July 12, 2012 Sheriff’'s Dispatcher Killed in Collision With Juan Lopez, 24, Who Never Had a License Says CHP read more
Los Angeles, CA July 6, 2012 LAPD reports 22,000 Hit & Run, 221 Fatal accidents in 2010. How many are unlicensed & uninsured drivers?
Los Angeles, CA May 8, 2012 Taxpayer Watchdog Group Judicial Watch files Lawsuit against Chief Beck to Stop Becks’s New Impound Policy read more
Los Angeles, CA April 19, 2012 The Union Representing Los Angeles Police Officers Files Lawsuit Against Their Own LAPD Chief, Charlie Beck to Stop His New Impound Policy read more
Los Angeles, CA April 6, 2012 Motocross Racer Connor Penhall, 21 Killed by Unlicensed DUI in Los Angeles read more
Los Angeles, CA Mar. 29, 2012 Unlicensed Driver Arrested in Los Angeles Crash That Killed Motorcyclist read more
Sacramento, CA Mar. 6, 2012 Assemblyman Tim Donnelly denounces Becks plan to give licenses to illegals. "A Magnet for Illegals" read the article
Los Angeles, CA Feb 29, 2012 Postal worker killed by unlicensed driver just 1-day after LAPD approves lax enforcement policy read the story
Los Angeles, CA Feb 27, 2012 Los Angeles D/A Steve Cooley says Beck is wrong on impound policy change, city will be liable. read the letter
Sacramento, CA Feb 13, 2012 Office of Legislative Counsel says Beck is wrong on impound policy change. read the opinion
Los Angeles, CA Feb 10, 2012 Unlicensed Driver Kills Los Angeles Woman in Fiery Crash read more
Los Angeles, CA Feb 7, 2012 Unlicensed Driver At The Wheel in Los Angeles Crash That Killed 3. read more
Los Angeles, CA Feb 4, 2012 Two of LAPD Chief Charlie Becks officers injured by unlicensed driver’s illegal left turn. LA Times
Long Beach, CA Feb 4, 2012 Long Beach Motorcycle Officer hospitalized after crash with unlicensed driver making illegal left turn. Patch
