Every motorist on the road in Pennsylvania should have a license. They also need to register their vehicle and pay for liability insurance. When out in traffic, drivers need to abide by traffic laws to minimize the possibility of a collision occurring.
Unfortunately, plenty of people in Pennsylvania do not follow traffic regulations as they should. They drive too fast despite clearly posted speed limits, they conduct unsafe maneuvers and they drive when their license isn’t valid. There are also some people out on the roads without proper liability coverage. What happens when these irresponsible drivers cause crashes?
Uninsured motorists pass the risk to others
Those who cause crashes through negligence or traffic law violations are in theory responsible for any damage they cause. Most people don’t have enough money to pay to repair someone else’s vehicle or cover their hospital bills, which is why car insurance is so important.
Drivers do have a roughly one in 20 chance of the person that causes their crash not having any coverage. Compared with many other states, Pennsylvania doesn’t have a particularly high rate of uninsured motorists on the roads. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute ranked Pennsylvania 46th in the nation based on the percentage of motorists without insurance.
Only about 6% of Pennsylvania drivers let their policies lapse, which is much lower than in Mississippi, where almost 30% of drivers don’t maintain insurance.
What protects someone when there isn’t liability insurance?
There are two main options available for those hurt in a crash that is the fault of the driver without insurance. The first option involves using personal insurance coverage, which is only possible in some cases.
Pennsylvania does not require uninsured motorist coverage. However, if someone has invested in this supplemental insurance coverage, they can make a claim against their personal policy even though they aren’t to blame for the wreck. Drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and others harmed by a crash caused by someone without insurance also possibly have the option of going to civil court. Personal injury claims can reimburse someone for many of the same expenses that insurance would cover.
Recognizing that uninsured drivers may render the aftermath of a collision much more complex for others who have been affected by it underscores the need for crash victims to seek legal guidance if they are concerned that their interests are being negatively impacted by the situation as a whole.