Killing Someone with a Car Costs $1.6 Million. California Requires Drivers to Carry $30,000.
Killing with a car costs $1.6M, California requires drivers to carry $30K
California's minimum auto liability coverage of $30,000 per person covers just 2% of the $1.6 million economic cost of a traffic fatality. While Europe mandates over $1.5 million, California's limit—frozen for 58 years—leaves victims, their families, and the public to absorb the rest. Even a scheduled 2035 increase to $50,000 will cost drivers only about $8 a month.
A person can take a life, settle for 2% of the economic damage, keep the house, and walk.
- hnburnsy
There is a program in California that offers even lower limits...
The California Low Cost Auto Insurance (CLCA) program provides liability coverage limits of up to $10,000 for bodily injury or death per person, $20,000 per accident, and $3,000 for property damage. This program is designed to help income-eligible residents afford basic auto insurance.
- philip1209
Making cars a requirement for participating in society, across all socioeconomic levels, was a mistake. Now, lacking a car can put people into economic crisis.
We can correct this by investing in public transportation and getting rid of government-provided free parking.
- kube-system
You basically need to insure yourself when using US roads. Forget the ridiculous minimum coverage requirements, a huge percentage of Americans drive around with no insurance whatsoever -- 20% or more in some states.
- delichon
Mark my words, in 2036 this story will read like a blast from the past. I read somewhere on this site recently that Waymo is about 9x safer than human drivers, and that number isn't going anywhere but up. What accidents remain will mostly be the responsibility of self driving car makers and fleet operators, and those don't deal with strip mall insurance agents. Please join me in a moment of silence for the dissolving business model of the automotive insurance industry over the next decade. And several moments of joy for tens of thousands of fewer crippled and killed people per year.
- graemep
That is tiny. I just checked Uk legislation and it seems to require £1.2m cover for damage to property and unlimited cover for personal injury and deaths.