If you're driving without auto insurance, watch out.

The chances of getting caught go up dramatically next year.

The Texas Department of Public Safety plans to launch a new database that will let officers instantly check whether a stopped car has insurance.

According to the insurance department, about 4 million vehicles on Texas roads are uninsured.

The El Paso Police Department says access to the database will help in a variety of ways.

"That can help prevent people from unnecessarily receiving a citation for insurance if they do in fact have it, and also prevent people from fraudulently presenting insurance that they know is not valid," said El Paso police spokesman Chris Mears.

State legislators approved creating the database back in 2005.

Thirty other states have insurance database programs.