When motor vehicle accidents occur, we expect the at-fault party’s insurance to cover the damages that have occurred. But in some instances, the person who caused the accident is an uninsured driver.

When people operate motor vehicles without proper insurance, every other driver pays the price.

State statistics

Nationwide, approximately 12.6% of motorists were operating vehicles uninsured in 2019. Mississippi had the most uninsured drivers in that year and New Jersey had the least. Georgia ranked 23rd in the country with 12.4% of drivers operating vehicles without insurance. The Georgia Department of Transportation reports that, in 2019, there were over 400,000 motor vehicle accidents in the state. Among these crashes, there were more than 147,000 injuries reported and over 1,400 deaths.

Proper insurance coverage may not necessarily prevent accidents, but it can go a long way in addressing the damage that these crashes cause. Vehicle repairs or replacement and medical costs are often covered by insurance compensation.

Associated costs

Insurance companies raise prices for their customers in order to account for the potential that an uninsured driver will cause an accident. Motorists who refuse to obey state laws requiring insurance minimums cost insured drivers approximately $13 billion in 2016 alone. Because this percentage of people do not cover their share of costs, everyone who does comply with insurance requirements must pay more.

Staying safe on the roads is difficult enough without the added stress caused by uninsured drivers. If everyone followed the state regulations for insurance coverage the costs would decrease.