Towns Charge Non-Locals Fees For Getting In Crashes

Some small towns, pissed at having to use town resources on accidents mainly caused by out-of-towners, are now fining non-locals if they get in a smashup. Erlanger, Kentucky is one such town. Four major highways intersect there. They charge drivers $14 for the first 30 minutes a cop is there and $7 for every 15 minutes after that. Insurance companies aren’t always covering the cost of the fee, and so the bills get sent to the drivers. This could lead to a perverse situation where locals try to cause accidents in order to raise money for the town coffers.

Towns seek cash per crash from out-of-town drivers [USAToday] (Thanks to Robert!)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.