Report Reveals Growing Number of Uninsured Drivers

By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- As the economy continues to spiral downwards, many are finding ways to cut back, including doing away with their car insurance.

A national report shows when it comes to uninsured drivers, Oklahoma ranks near the top.

According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly one out every four drivers on our Oklahoma roads is uninsured, putting themselves and the insured at great risk.

When the Oklahoma County Sheriff's department set up a recent DUI checkpoint, their goal was to catch drunk drivers. Instead, they discovered several uninsured drivers.

"Sadly, we're one of the worst in the nation in terms of the number of people driving without car insurance," said State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland.

Holland said the number of people driving without insurance has spiked. In the past, about 15 percent of drivers in Oklahoma didn't have car insurance, but Research Insurance Council shows that number has grown to 24 percent, making Oklahoma the fourth highest state for uninsured drivers.

• Read the full report by the Research Insurance Council.

"Wages are stagnant, cost of living has gone up," Holland said. "We're having challenges with some job loss, not as much as other states, but there is some belt tightening and some people have to let things go like insurance."

Part of the problem the commissioner said is enforcement. She said a lot of times, officers on the road aren't able to determine whether the person they pull over has car insurance.

"We're going to have to address the fact that there are a lot of people making hard choices about insurance or food or rent or whatever," Holland said. "We need to find a mechanism where we can help those people."

Holland said they are currently in the process of implementing a new system that will allow officers on the road to know immediately when drivers do not have proper insurance.

If you are considering dropping your car insurance, its recommended you contact your agent first. By reviewing your policy, there maybe ways you can save money without having to cancel your insurance.