If you live in Texas and are even a little curious as to which county leads the state with the highest number of uninsured drivers, here’s your answer. Dallas County continues to be number 1 in this inauspicious category as it has for at least the last 3 years.
The results have not changed much from what I posted last year, based on a Dallas Morning News article, (see http://50.87.248.161/~wiseinsu/dallas-county-tops-in-texas-with-uninsured-drivers/). 1 in 6 drivers or 16.13% of all drivers in Dallas County continue to drive with no car insurance. The percentage of uninsured drivers on Dallas streets and highways in 2012 was 14.79%.
The trend statewide has been inching up over the past two years; in 2012 13.07% of all Texas drivers were hitting the road without car insurance. The percentage of uninsured Texas drivers is now up to 14.04% or 2,545,500 for the 18,125,541 registered vehicles. The chart below shows the ranking of the top 6 counties for both 2012 and 2014.
| County | 2012 Results | 2014 Results |
| Dallas | 14.79% | 16.13% |
| El Paso | 14.46% | 15.24% |
| Harris | 14.46% | 15.08% |
| Bexar | 13.65% | 14.76% |
| Tarrant | 12.61% | 13.53% |
| Travis | 12.54% | 13.24% |
If we take a closer look at the north Texas counties, excluding Dallas and Tarrant counties, the results look like this:
| County | 2012 Results | 2014 Results |
| Johnson | 10.73% | 11.32% |
| Kaufman | 10.80% | 11.27% |
| Ellis | 10.49% | 11.12% |
| Rockwall | 9.50% | 9.30% |
| Denton | 9.06% | 9.80% |
| Collin | 8.52% | 8.66% |
One of the big questions Texas legislators and consumer advocates are asking is, why is the percentage of uninsured drivers going up? Some attribute it to rising car insurance rates; Texas rates have increased by double digits since last year (see http://50.87.248.161/~wiseinsu/texas-car-insurance-rates-rise/). Others have the view that many of the uninsured motorists are being irresponsible and would like to see tougher laws enacted.
Regardless, the best way for Texas drivers who currently have car insurance to protect themselves is to carry adequate levels of uninsured motorists coverage on their policies. This means, we need to carry enough coverage to help defray any medical bills and cover the value of our vehicles if we are struck by a driver with no car insurance (see http://50.87.248.161/~wiseinsu/what-if-the-person-who-hits-you-doesnt-have-car-insurance/).
What do you think is the reason for the increase in uninsured Texas drivers and what should be done? Share your thoughts in the comments section of our blog or on our Google + and Facebook pages. I’d love to hear from you!
