El Paso judge concerned about the number of traffic accidents caused by unlicensed drivers

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) - During Tuesday's El Paso City Council meeting, a speaker proposed an ordinance to combat what he says is a huge problem among unlicensed drivers causing accidents.

Steve Fischer is a former Willacy County District Attorney and part-time judge in El Paso.

Fischer said in the past five years, 100,000 accidents were caused by people driving without licenses. And they're also not paying their traffic citations. He said 17,250 citations were issued last year, and many were not paid.

Fischer said the city is losing up to $10,000 a day that they could be collecting off these tickets. And it’s demoralizing the officers issuing them.

Fischer's proposed ordinance would allow vehicles to be towed if the owner has five unpaid tickets, with at least one ticket dating as far back as two years.