When a motor vehicle accident happens, common thoughts and concerns arise over how much the damage to your car will cost or what medical costs will be associated with any possible injuries sustained in the car accident.
While many concerns run through the mind, few people think about the costs associated with cleaning up the debris and emergency services that were provided after a crash. In fact, according to an insurance survey, 76 percent of adults assume that the taxes they pay will cover the expense.
As cities try to find ways to cut costs, accident response fees have once again become the topic of discussion. Sacramento, California is one of those cities that is currently discussing instituting accident response fees that must be paid by traffic accident victims.
A Harris Interactive poll was conducted upon the request of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and found that Americans are not too keen on the idea of charging a victim with a fee on top of the costs associated with emergency treatment. Two-thirds of adults disagreed with the idea, outnumbering those in favor 2 to 1.
“Motorists clearly see this for what it is: local governments trying to impose a hidden, double tax on consumers. We call these fees an accident tax or crash tax,” said the senior director of Property Casualty Insurers.
One consideration has been over whether the fee would be charged to residents or just non-residents, but either way it could increase the costs of insurance. Either way, the tax could raise other issues such as whether or not a victim could claim compensation for the fees in a personal injury suit.
Source: Insurance Journal, “Poll: Public Opposes Crash Taxes” 1/31/11
