Personal Injury Law

Georgia Drivers Beware: Uninsured Drivers On The Increase

We heard a radio piece on National Public Radio the week before last about the rise in uninsured motorists nationwide. It is now estimated that as many as 16% of the motoring public are driving without insurance. In today?s tough economic times, people are failing to pay not only their house bills, which has lead to the mortgage crisis, but also their car insurance bills. This means that many motorists are endangering the lives of their fellow motorists as they drive. Obviously, they are hoping that they will not be involved in an accident. If they are, it is not the driver who causes the accident which is at risk, it is the innocent victim of their reckless conduct.

The only way to protect one?s self against a uninsured motorist is to purchase uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance coverage. While all drivers are required by law to maintain liability insurance coverage to protect the rights of other motorists, 16% of our fellow drivers, apparently, are not fulfilling this duty. Many others purchase the absolute minimum limits required by law - typically $25,000.00 which provides no meaningful protection for serious injuries. Therefore, we are all 16% at risk when we get behind the wheel of being involved in an accident where the driver causing the accident does not have insurance. For those who can afford it and whose budget will allow it, it is therefore increasingly important that uninsured motorist protection be purchased. Without such coverage, if someone is involved in a terrible collision involving serious injuries or even death, there will be no recovery in all likelihood because anyone who is driving without insurance will not have personal assets sufficient to satisfy a judgment in any event

We have blogged about this before and we do so now because this problem is increasing and will likely be with us until the economy improves. we would urge all Georgia drivers to purchase as much uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as their budgets will permit, consistent with their needs and resources. As we have written before, it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Full post as published by Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog on February 05, 2009 (boomark / email).