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Insurance Industry Questions Rendell's Car Camera Idea

The head of the Pennsylvania Insurance Federation says Governor Rendell's idea to install cameras to nab people who are driving without insurance is impractical.

KYW's Tony Romeo reports that it might not be a surprise to hear that the ACLU has concerns about the idea. But how about Sam Marshall, president of the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania?

"I represent insurance companies. We like it when people buy insurance."

But Marshall pans Governor Rendell's suggestion to raise money for transportation by using cameras to photograph license plates and check for valid insurance because it presumes that PennDOT can maintain an accurate, up-to-the-second database of which vehicles are insured and which are not:

"It won't be accurate, it's an administratively cumbersome process."

Marshall also says most uninsured vehicles are older cars used on local roads so putting cameras on roads like the turnpike won't be very effective.

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