Victims of Uninsured Drivers on Rise
Victims of Uninsured Drivers on Rise
Fallout from the slumping economy may be spreading to our roads: Insurers and transportation experts say increasing numbers of motorists are driving uninsured.
An Enquirer analysis of state crash data finds that 6.5 percent of all accidents in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky involved an uninsured driver last year, up slightly from 2007.
Numbers are still incomplete for 2008, but the seven-county rate could be at a five-year high.
In Kenton County, more than one in 10 auto accidents last year involved an uninsured driver. In Hamilton County, one in 14 accidents involved an uninsured driver – or more than 2,000 crashes total.
“I know this is hard to believe here in West Chester, but I have customers choosing between food and insurance,” State Farm agent Randy Grimes said.
He and his staff are on the phone daily, trying to convince customers to stay current on their policies.
“It’s tough out there, as tough as I’ve ever seen,” he said.