Being in a car accident brings all manner of physical, emotional and financial stress. If another driver caused the accident and he or she does not carry auto insurance, the stress can rise quickly.

No driver should be without insurance. Indeed, Arizona law requires drivers to carry minimal auto insurance. Unfortunately, however, not all drivers abide by the law, and this can leave the victims of those drivers without traditional methods of recovery.

Arizona’s Uninsured Drivers
Although Arizona’s rate of uninsured drivers is – 12 percent, slightly below the national average 13.8 percent – i.e. 1 out of 8 Arizona drivers who is uninsured. Those kinds of odds don’t bode well for the drivers who end up in auto accidents.

According to the Insurance Research Council, the reason for the high rate of uninsured motorists may be the similarly high rate of unemployment: during tough economic periods, some drivers decide to let their car insurance coverage slip.

In addition, drivers who have been in numerous accidents may not wish to pay the high premiums that their history creates. And, of course, such drivers may get into more accidents in the future.

People Injured by Uninsured Drivers
Drivers who do have auto insurance should consider including uninsured/underinsured motorist (UI/UIM) coverage. UI/UIM coverage can help pay for the damages to the insured party when the other driver’s insurance would have done so, if the driver had carried insurance.

The impact of so many uninsured Arizona drivers is significant. Drivers who break the law, choosing not to carry auto insurance, put other drivers at risk for more serious consequences following a car accident.
There may be creative ways for an injured party to seek compensation, however. An accident attorney, for instance, can help the injured driver seek compensation from other insurance sources or the assets of the at-fault driver.