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REMINDER! Law enforcement agencies will be out in force to keep our roads safe as you travel. AAA estimates a record setting 39.8 million Americans will chose automobiles as means of transportation during the 4th of July holiday travel season. National Safety Conference (NSC) estimates nationally between July 3 and July 7 that 565 lives will be lost and another 64,500 people will receive serious bodily injuries from traffic crashes on our roadways. Keep in mind as you celebrate, if you’re gonna consume alcoholic beverage that you do so responsibly. NEVER take a chance as you plan to drink adult beverages. Also plan for a responsible sober driver to transport you home.

Bill from Port Arthur asks: I have a co-worker who doesn’t have a driver’s license but has insurance in his name for the vehicle he drives. How can someone be insured to drive a motor vehicle without a driver’s license?

Answer: This is one question I don’t really have an answer for, and if any insurance agency’s representatives are readers of this column, will you please notify me. I’ve seen where insurance companies will insure an unlicensed driver vehicle, even though they can’t legally operate the vehicle on the roadway of Texas. I’ve seen this for years and it always floors me every time I stop someone who doesn’t have a driver’s license but they quickly produce insurance and the policy in their name. I’ve run across drivers who don’t have a proper identification card, yet they had insurance in their name with a local address. I look at it this way, even though they can’t legally drive a vehicle on the roads of Texas, at least they are covered in case of a crash damaging someone else’s property.

Dianna from Groves asks: What should I do while driving and seeing a wrecker in my lane of traffic behind me with its lights flashing? Do I treat it as if it were an emergency vehicle?

Answer: Towing trucks are NOT emergency vehicles in Texas, and they are not permitted to drive on the road of Texas with their overhead lamps activated. No towing truck should be traveling down the road with their caution lights flashing. The only time a wrecker can activate its lights is when stopped on the side of the road or actively working on a crash scene.

Join Me, Officer Rickey Antoine and the CREW: Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” Washington & Tejas “Lil Man” Moorin Star for Ask A Cop live on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze every Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. as we discuss in detail the newly released “Ask A Cop” article. You can also tune in via ksapthebreeze.org. Ask your question live at 409-982-0247. Now you can make a comment or ask via TEXT 409-748-6106. Remember to email questions to rickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, call 409-983-8673 for voice mail question or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine, 645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public, you can always approach and “Ask A Cop!”