Letter to the editor: Crack down on irresponsible drivers

0
19

To the editor,

Today I paid my auto insurance. I carry bodily injury liability of $250,000/$500,000 and property damage of $100,000. To the premium for this coverage, I added 42 percent more for standard uninsured motorist coverage. This is outrageous and unfair.

I believe our state must do more so that all drivers on our roads are fiscally responsible to drive.

First, be sure all vehicles are properly registered and insured. Mandate that insurance companies report to the Department of Motor Vehicles all auto insurance cancellations, additions and changes.

Second, increase first offense fines to at least equal to one year’s liability premiums.

The minimum limits of $20,000/$40,000 and $10,000 property damage are not realistic at today’s prices. Many people assume their liability is equal to only their net worth. This isn’t true.

To level the playing field consider this: If a person with very few assets causes an accident with a person or family with similar assets and damages are $100,000, why should the person causing the accident be liable for only $40,000 and the victims be liable for $60,000?

These recommendations would not only lower the premiums most of us pay by lowering the uninsured insurance rate, but make our roads safer. Irresponsible drivers would either be forced to not drive, be forced to carry more insurance with increasing premiums after accidents, or, realizing the costs of their irresponsibility, hopefully become less reckless and safer drivers.

Richard Wilmot

Naugatuck