Not everyone in Louisiana can legally drive. You have to be at least 16 and have passed the necessary tests to obtain a driver’s license. Any vehicle you purchase requires state registration if you want to drive it on the road. You also have to carry liability damage to cover the cost of any property damage or bodily injuries that result from a crash that you personally cause.
Most drivers in Louisiana follow those laws and maintain a driver’s license, vehicle registration and appropriate insurance. However, there are always those who refuse to follow the law, even when it comes to something as important as their own future financial stability.
Do you have to worry about an uninsured driver causing a crash with you on the Louisiana roads?
There are many uninsured drivers in the state
Although the vast majority of drivers in Louisiana, as elsewhere, comply with the law, the few that don’t put everyone else at risk. According to data gathered in 2019, Louisiana ranks 26ths in the country on the list of which states have the highest percentage of uninsured drivers. Overall, roughly 11.7% of drivers in Louisiana are without the required insurance coverage at any given time.
If you get into a crash caused by one of these drivers, your right to file an insurance claim could be at risk. They don’t have coverage, so when they are at fault, you won’t be able to make a liability-based claim.
There are alternative options after a crash
The good news for someone hurt in a car crash or coping with the loss of a vehicle after a collision with an uninsured driver is that they may have protection on their own policy. Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection is optional coverage that anyone can add when they purchase or renew a policy. In the event that you get hurt in a crash caused by someone without active insurance, you will then have the option of making a claim against your own coverage.
Of course, any claim against your policy will likely increase what you pay for your coverage. Even those with uninsured motorist protection may still want to pursue a civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver. Provided they were negligent or broke the law prior to the wreck, you may have the right to take them to civil court to recover your losses.
Understanding the most common statistical risks related to Louisiana car crashes can help you better protect yourself on the road.
The post Are You at Risk of a Wreck Caused by an Uninsured Driver? appeared first on Joubert Law Firm.