As we have previously discussed on our Fayetteville personal injury law blog, victims of motor vehicle accidents may be able to pursue personal injury claims if their injuries are serious or permanent. A car accident can turn one’s life upside down in a split second. As a result, accident victims often attempt to pursue their rights by filing a claim so that they at least can receive the compensation they need in order to cover medical expenses and lost wages.
North Carolina drivers are required to carry auto insurance in order to drive on our state’s roads. Unfortunately, not all drivers are properly insured or insured at all. This not only is a violation of state law, but this also makes it difficult for victims of auto accidents to receive the compensation they need and deserve for their injuries and other damages.
In an effort to make sure that more drivers in North Carolina are carrying adequate auto insurance, a local group from Charlotte is petitioning that undocumented immigrants be allowed to apply for driver’s licenses in the state.
More than 500 million undocumented immigrants work and live in North Carolina, according to the most recently reported census data. Since undocumented immigrants are not able to get their driver’s licenses, many are driving without a license.
While many argue that those who are undocumented and living in the states illegally should not be able to have driving privileges, others suggest that more drivers would be protected on our North Carolina roads.
If undocumented immigrants have the ability to get their driver’s licenses, then they can also purchase auto insurance. Those who currently choose to drive without a license are also driving without insurance. When an uninsured or underinsured driver causes an accident in North Carolina, the other driver is stuck with the financial consequences even if the accident was not his or her fault.
Although the issue has sparked a serious political debate, it does raise awareness of the importance that every driver carry adequate auto insurance in order to make certain that others on the road are protected in the event of a serious collision.
Source: NewsChannel 36, “Charlotte group helping illegal immigrants get licenses,” Amy Cowman, Oct. 15, 2011