Get tougher against uninsured drivers

This is in response to the recent letter in Fence Post by Pete Mayhew on uninsured motorists. I couldn’t agree more. In April 2010, my youngest daughter and a friend were walking on the sidewalk just outside of their college campus when they were hit by an uninsured motorist who also was drunk. My daughter suffered a broken ankle, along with various cuts and bruises.

Medical coverage through my employer paid most of the hospital bills, and I paid out of pocket what wasn’t covered. The lawyer hired for my daughter’s case tried to file an uninsured motorist claim with my insurance company, but there were too many complications, possibly because this happened out of state. I had to shell out $1,000 because of this incident, and I know I’ll never see that money again, though it’s a small price to pay to have my daughter alive.

My daughter never received compensation for her injuries. She has suffered a great deal of physical pain and mental distress. The drunken, uninsured motorist who hit her was simply expelled from college; neither she nor her parents paid for damages.

I, too, pay thousands of dollars in car insurance premiums, and while it’s difficult to pay there’s no way that I would ever be without insurance. Those who drive uninsured should have their car seized and license revoked. Uninsured motorists seem to get off scot-free — and they should be taken off the roads.

Linda Cooke

Wheeling