AREA UNINSURED VEHICLES EXCEED AVERAGES

Uninsured motorists are once again in the news. For Missourians, as usual, there is good news, and there is bad news.

First the good news: The statewide percentage of uninsured vehicles in 1999 reached its lowest point since Missouri began requiring mandatory automobile liability coverage in 1987. Statewide, the rate plummeted from 1998, when there were a projected 350,483 uninsured vehicles on the road. For 1999, that number was 287,486, a drop of about 63,000 vehicles.

"While these statistics offer little comfort to individuals who suffer damages when they are hit by uninsured autos, the data does show Missouri is headed in the right direction," said Keith Wetzel, director of the Missouri Department of Insurance.

Now for the bad news: Despite the improving statewide picture, and despite some improvement in Southeast Missouri, our region retained its status as one with a high percentage of uninsured vehicles.

Of 19 Southeast Missouri counties, 11 had uninsured rates higher than the statewide average of 7.3 percent. The Bootheel county of Pemiscot, long one of the state's poorest, was second worst in the state with an uninsured rate of 14.1 percent, trailing only the city of St. Louis, which had a rate of 28 percent. Cape Girardeau County had a rate of 7.5 percent, just above the statewide average. Scott County had a rate of 9.2 percent.

We've suggested this before: If the Department of Insurance computers would talk to the Department of Revenue's computers, this business of uninsured motorists could all but be put to a stop. Instead, owners are only required to show proof of insurance on the day a vehicle is licensed.