The state with the highest rate of uninsured drivers is…

While the fight to reduce texting while driving continues, there’s another problem that remains a thorn in the side of lawmakers: The high rate of uninsured drivers.

All states technically ban driving without liability insurance, but enforcement of those laws is often lax. The minimum amount of liability coverage required varies by state; so too does the percentage of uninsured drivers. And in some states one-quarter of registered drivers are uninsured, according to “Uninsured Motorists, 2014 Edition” published by the Insurance Research Council. Oklahoma has the highest rate of uninsured drivers (25.9%), followed closely by Florida (23.8%), Mississippi (22.9%), New Mexico (21.6%), Michigan (21%) and Tennessee (20.1%). The states with the lowest rates of uninsured drivers were Massachusetts (3.9%), Maine (4.7%), New York (5.3%), Utah (5.8%), North Dakota (5.9%) and Pennsylvania (6.5%).

States with the most uninsured drivers

State	% of uninsured drivers
Oklahoma	25.9
Florida	23.8
Mississippi	22.9
New Mexico	21.6
Michigan	21.0

States with the fewest uninsured drivers

State	% of uninsured drivers
Georgia	11.7
Delaware	11.5
Minnesota	10.8
Arizona	10.6
New Jersey	10.3
Source: Insurance Research Council

Only 21 states have mandatory requirements for insurance to cover accidents involving a third party with no insurance, according to a new report by financial website WalletHub.com. Some states — including Illinois and Wisconsin — require uninsured motorist coverage for bodily injuries, while others — including Virginia and New Jersey — require uninsured motorist coverage for both bodily injuries and property damage. Without such coverage, drivers would typically have to pay out of pocket for injuries and damage suffered by an uninsured third party, unless they have medical payments coverage for injuries or comprehensive and collision that covers repairs; they’d also likely face higher future insurance premiums.

Why the state-by-state discrepancy in coverage? There’s a definite correlation between uninsured rates and affordability of automobile insurance and median income in that state, says Patrick Schmid, director of research at the Insurance Research Council. “The rates of enforcement in rural states are harder to quantify, but play a role,” he says. “There’s no clear cut answer.” Around 10 states have taken steps to boost auto insurance with “no-pay, no-play” laws restricting uninsured motorists from collecting damages in a car accident from an at-fault insured driver. But Oklahoma, the state with the most uninsured drivers, is one of those 10 states.