If everyone in New Jersey were to follow state traffic laws, overall safety would improve substantially. However, the average person violates a few traffic laws – at a minimum – occasionally. Some people even admit to routinely exceeding the posted speed limit or otherwise violating traffic safety regulations.
One of the most basic requirements to lawfully drive in New Jersey is the obligation to carry liability insurance coverage. Of course, there will always be a few people who break this law, like any other traffic regulation. Do New Jersey drivers need to worry about people without insurance causing crashes?
A small percentage of drivers don’t have coverage
Despite very clear requirements to maintain coverage, plenty of drivers let their policies lapse by missing payments. Others intentionally cancel their coverage so that they don’t have to continue making payments.
Overall, New Jersey is actually the best state in the country in terms of uninsured drivers. Only 3.1% of motorists do not have the appropriate coverage, at least according to data from 2019. Still, that means that roughly one in every 33 drivers doesn’t have an active policy on their vehicle. If one of these motorists causes a wreck, the driver who isn’t at fault will often struggle to secure proper compensation.
What protects New Jersey motorists from people without coverage?
Everyone in New Jersey typically has the option of purchasing uninsured motorist protection when obtaining a new policy. Drivers often carry the same amount in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as they carry in liability protection.
When someone needs reimbursements for the cost to fix their vehicle or pay for hospital bills, their uninsured motorist coverage could help. They may also have the option of pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the motorist who caused the collision.
The greater the financial impact of the collision, the more important it may become for someone to look into all of their options for recovering their losses. Those who proactively protect themselves with enhanced insurance will have less financial worry in the event of a major collision.
Adding the right coverage to a motor vehicle insurance policy can help travelers to feel confident about having adequate protection if they ever get into a car crash with an uninsured motorist. Similarly, knowing that they can seek legal guidance in the event of a crash can help motorists to feel more empowered to exercise their rights in the event that they are rightfully owed more compensation than an insurance policy will cover.