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How often do California drivers without insurance cause crashes?

On Behalf of | May 17, 2022 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Liability coverage is what makes driving a vehicle every day financially feasible. Without protection, a crash could cost you years of your income or put your most valuable property at risk. Spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and even extensive property damage could all be your financial responsibility if you cause a crash through negligence or illegal behavior while driving. You won’t have to pay out of pocket for basic expenses you cause thanks to liability coverage.

Your insurance policy protects you from liability when you are at fault, but that means that you depend on other people when they are the ones at fault for a wreck. Although state law requires it, not every driver in California carries insurance. How likely are you to get into a crash caused by a driver without insurance in California?

Uninsured drivers are everywhere

If someone gets pulled over by the police without insurance, they could face a fine. If they cause a crash without insurance, they could be subject to a civil lawsuit. Ideally, you would not need to take someone to court to repair your vehicle or pay your hospital bills, but that is exactly what happens when an uninsured driver hurts you.

Despite having relatively low coverage requirements when compared with many other states, California is still one of the worst states in the country for uninsured drivers. Overall, roughly 16.6% of people on the California roads don’t have an active insurance policy. The state ranks 10th in the nation for having the highest percentage of uninsured drivers.

How do you hold an uninsured driver accountable?

When you have a police report allocating fault to the other driver, you can sometimes request compensation for your losses in civil court. Some people can also make a claim against their own insurance policies if they carry uninsured motorist coverage or comprehensive protection on their policy.

For many people hurt by a driver without insurance, going to court is the only option to fully recoup the losses they suffered in a wreck. Making sure that you have proper liability protection and know what laws apply after a crash with an uninsured motorist will help you defray the expenses that result.