How Common are Uninsured Motorist Accidents?

Statistics are mixed about how common uninsured motorist accidents are. The Insurance Research Council (IRC) stated "approximately 1 in 6 drivers across the United States may be driving uninsured by 2010" in a recent study. The same organization in 2006 estimated that about 14% of injury accidents to insured occupants in the U.S. were caused by uninsured motorists. A West Virgina Department of Transportation study in 2003 found that 4.91% of crashes involved uninsured drivers statewide, but the rate varied between counties. For example, 8.04% in Kanawha County. Uninsured driver accidents create problems. "The average payment on claims in accidents involving an uninsured driver is about $11,000," points out the website Banking My Way in "Road Hazard: Uninsured Driver Rates Climb." The Maus Law Firm website mentions that Florida, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama and Oklahoma have the highest rates of accidents involving uninsured drivers, interpreting IRC data.