Accidents with Unlicensed Drivers
Posted by
Christina MedlinJune 22, 2007 10:17 AMArturo Arguijo's, 16, faces charges of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and driving without a license. He is in the Wake County Jail under a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court in August.
Arguijo pulled out in front of Salud Avellaneda-Marin, 41, of Asheboro, and her two sons causing her SUV to rollover several times. Avellaneda-Marin died at WakeMed; her 20-year-old and infant sons were injured, but they were expected to recover.
According to AAA Foundation for Saftey, between 1993 and 1997, some 42,049 people died because someone who did not hold a valid driver's license climbed behind the wheel of a vehicle and drove anyway. An AAA Foundation survey shows that 20 percent - one in every five - of all fatal crashes in the United States involve drivers who were unlicensed.
In North Carolina, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles, 24% of all fatalities involve an unlicensed driver (1999 data) and approximately 75% of suspended/revoked drivers continue to operate a motor vehicle.
If you are involved in an accident with an unlicensed driver, your uninsured motorist coverage from your auto insurance protects you if the at-fault driver has no insurance and/or is unlicensed. Most people purchases the lowest amounts of coverage, but find it to be inadequate when injured in an accident. Check your auto insurance policy to ensure you have sufficient coverage!
For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Automobile and Motorcycle Accidents.