When Out-of-Towners Crash, Cities Want Cash

"A growing number of cash-strapped communities large and small are billing at-fault out-of-town drivers and their insurance companies to recoup some of the cost of responding to and clearing accidents outside drivers cause."

"The practice of billing out-of-towners has raised the ire of drivers and insurance companies and a few communities have rescinded their ordinances. But accident fees for out-of-town drivers are still gaining popularity. During the past three years municipalities in at least 15 states - including Michigan, Kentucky, Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina - have passed ordinances requiring at-fault drivers to pay up."

"Across the Ohio River from New Richmond in Erlanger, Ky. - a city where four major highways intersect and where 82% of accidents last year involved out-of-town drivers - city leaders expect to generate $100,000 with their ordinance. They bill at-fault drivers $14 for the first 30 minutes an officer is on scene and $7 for every 15 minutes thereafter."