IMPROVEMENT IN UNINSURED MOTORISTS NUMBERS HELPS ALL DRIVERS

The vexing problem of uninsured motorists continues to trouble the state officials who have struggled to deal with the problem, along with all Missourians. Let's face it: All the driving public ends up paying for the deadbeats who don't fulfill their responsibility to secure insurance.

A report issued last month by the Missouri Department of Insurance said about one of every 11 vehicles on Missouri roads was uninsured. That rate of 9 percent of vehicles was down slightly from the 1997 uninsured rate of 9.38 percent.

Two years ago, the General Assembly reacted to complaints from Missourians about uninsured motorists by passing a new law. That law took effect Jan. 1, 1998.

It required vehicle owners to provide proof of insurance to the Department of Revenue to renew or obtain license plates. Missouri has required auto owners to carry minimum liability coverage since 1987, but hadn't previously tied proof of insurance to auto registration with the Department of Revenue. This requirement has met with grumbling from motorists who arrive at the license fee office without all the necessary paperwork. But it represents a serious legislative response to dealing with a serious issue.

The new requirement means that motorists who don't carry insurance are forced to stop driving their vehicles, drive with expired plates -- a red flag for law enforcement personnel -- or steal plates from other vehicles.

Southeast Missouri counties generally saw higher proportions of uninsured motorists than most other counties outside St. Louis. This reflects low-income drivers in poor Bootheel counties. Still, even these counties have experienced decreases in uninsured motorists. Here's hoping for continued improvements in this vexing problem.