A state lawmaker plans once again to push for mandatory auto insurance. The Wisconsin Association for Justice , a trial lawyers' group, is calling on the governor and legislature to require that all Wisconsin motorists carry auto insurance. "They are correct, there's only two states left," that don't require insurance, says state Senator John Lehman. The Racine Democrat says up to fifteen percent of Wisconsin drivers are driving without insurance, and his constituents routinely ask why the state allows that to continue.
Lehman says drivers involved in accidents with uninsured motorists do have recourse – but it's one which can be costly and time consuming. "You can go to court and sue the folks" to recover damages, he says. "It goes a lot more smoothly, usually, if you've got an insurance company going to bagt for you, and there's another insurance company involved on the other side."
Lehman plans to reintroduce legislation later this year which would mandate insurance. He's got his work cut out for him: this would be the fourth time Lehman has sponsored such a bill, and the fourteenth time overall that insurance mandate legislation has been attempted.