Summer road trips and holiday travel bring thousands of out-of-state vehicles to Pennsylvania highways. If you’re hit by a driver on a road trip or with another state’s license plates, your accident claim could become more complex than a typical local crash.
Their insurance can be inadequate
State minimum insurance requirements vary wildly across the country, and many states require far less coverage than Pennsylvania. When an out-of-state driver carries only their home state’s minimum coverage, your serious injuries may far exceed their policy limits, leaving you with a significant coverage gap.
This problem extends to rental cars too. Tourists often decline additional coverage, relying on minimum required liability coverage, which often isn’t enough to cover serious injury claims. They might also assume their credit card protection is sufficient. However, credit card benefits often cover damage to the rental car, but may not provide liability coverage for injuries to others.
They might already be halfway home
Unlike local drivers, out-of-state motorists typically leave Pennsylvania shortly after the accident occurs. This creates several practical problems and may require additional steps:
- Serving legal papers across state lines requires additional procedural steps
- The out-of-state driver may be harder to reach once they return home
- Locating them for depositions becomes more difficult and expensive
- Enforcing any judgment requires navigating interstate legal mechanisms
Even when their insurance company handles the claim, you’re often dealing with adjusters and procedures from another state.
Verification can take longer
Investigating an out-of-state driver’s background takes more time and effort. Their driving record, license status, and violation history exist in another state’s DMV system. Some drivers with suspended or revoked licenses in their home state continue driving during out-of-state trips, gambling they won’t get caught far from home.
Contact verification can get tricky, too. Out-of-state drivers often provide hotel addresses or temporary contact information at the accident scene. Once they return home, tracking them down for follow-up becomes challenging. This complicates everything from witness statements to settlement negotiations.
These interstate complications don’t prevent you from recovering compensation after a car crash, but they can present unique challenges. Working with an attorney experienced in these claims can reduce delays and complications so you can focus on moving forward.