“There are 30 million accidents in the United States annually, which equals about 1 accident for every five licensed drivers. These accidents result in over $100 billion in economic losses, 2 million injuries, and 40,000 deaths” (Louis Boone, David Kurtz, and Douglas Hearth. Planning Your Financial Future, 3rd ed., 2003, 275).

There are many steps you can take to reduce the probability that you will have an accident. You can drive defensively, obey all traffic rules, avoid high-traffic areas, and use good judgment when driving. However, although you can control how you drive, you cannot control how others drive; therefore, your risk of being in an automobile accident remains high. When will it be your turn to be involved in an accident? My turn came two years ago in Tahoe-Donner California. My daughter’s turn came earlier this year. Auto insurance is a necessity for all drivers.