MIAMI HOME TO THE WORST DRIVERS IN AMERICA?
To residents of Miami, it comes as no surprise that a recent study rated Floridians the nation’s worst drivers. Embarrassingly, the study by Smart Asset also showed that Floridians initiate the most Google searches for terms like “speeding tickets” and “traffic tickets.” Moreover, the state records the second lowest percentage of insured drivers in the country.
Approximately a quarter of Florida drivers out on the road right now are driving with no insurance coverage whatsoever. What does that mean for the rest of us insured drivers? For starters, you may want to look at the auto insurance plan you have in place with your insurance provider.
REQUIRED BY FLORIDA LAW
At a minimum, Florida law requires that drivers carry $10,000 worth of property damage coverage to pay for the cost of damages to the other person’s car if you are found as the party at fault. That excludes costs of damage to your own car. In addition, you must also carry $10,000 worth of personal injury protection, or PIP, to pay for a portion of your medical bills and lost wages. Florida is a no-fault state, which means that your insurance company must pay 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages, up to $10,000, even if you were not at fault for the accident. Aside from those, Florida enforces no other requirements.
OUR MIAMI CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS RECOMMEND…
Many of our clients struggle with finding the best auto insurance coverage plan in Miami. The most important coverage any Floridian can purchase is called UM coverage, or “Uninsured Motorist Coverage.” It will protect you no matter what kind of insurance plan, or lack thereof, the other party carries. For example, if your case is worth $50,000 and the other person only has $10,000 of liability insurance, you are still able to collect the remaining $40,000 from your own insurance company if you carry at least $40,000 of UM insurance. Our Miami Car accident Lawyers recommend a plan with $100,000-$300,000 minimum, including “stacked” coverage (discounted UM coverage for multiple cars) if you own more than one car.
The Smart Asset study based its findings on a number of factors including percentage of uninsured motorists, DUI arrests, and vehicular deaths. While Florida may not suffer the highest number in DUI-related accidents, falling behind Michigan and Texas, Florida seems to appear continually as one the states with the worst DUI reports. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) drunk driving facts, 2.1 % of adults in Florida self-reported driving drunk, compared to the national average of 1.9%.
CONSULTING WITH A MIAMI CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER
Our car accident lawyers in Miami are dedicated to representing those injured in car, bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents. Our lawyers are ready to help you manage your claim throughout the State of Florida. We provide free consultations, and we are available to speak or meet with you at your hospital or home. Give our office a call at 1-866-597-4529 or email us at [email protected]. Our team is ready to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
