Those of us in the media are provided with a monthly traffic report by the Quincy Police Department. That report lists the total amount of citations issued and breaks it down even more as to just how many people were speeding, driving under the influence, driving with a revoked license and so forth. Also included in that report are people cited for being an uninsured motorist. It is always one of the higher totals on the list each month.

For people making choices as to what to cut from their budget, apparently insurance is one of those cuts. So those people are taking the risk of not getting into an accident. But if they do, who ends of paying even if they are not at fault? The person with the insurance does. This, I am afraid, is becoming an epidemic in the Hannibal-Quincy area as well as across America. Insurance companies have been making uninsured motorist insurance available just for this reason. It's unfortunate that those who do the right thing have to pay for those who don't.

So how is this happening?  One way is to buy insurance and then cancel it after you get your license and hope you don't get caught or have an accident.

I would like to see proof of insurance when a driver renews his license plate sticker instead which occurs every 12 months. Even when you renew your yearly sticker by mail there is a place on the back of the form that asks for your insurance policy number.

Perhaps insurance companies need to report cancelled policies for automobile insurance to the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles so there is a record of uninsured motorists out there on our streets and highways each day.

A change to the 12 month system mentioned just might be in order. At least every 12 months we will know who has and doesn't have insurance. No insurance, no license plate renewal sticker.

Oh, by the way, even as I was writing this, I just got the Q.P.D.’s daily arrest report for yesterday showing 6 drivers stopped and 4 with a moving violation and having no automobile insurance.

When you think about the report, remember the people who were found to have no insurance were initially stopped for another reason. Sure makes you wonder just how many drivers are really out there driving without insurance doesn't it?

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