The inequities of a car crash
I just got a call tonight from my mom that Walter, one of her employees was in a car accident at 5:00 am in morning when he was driving his pregnant wife to work. A car ran a stoplight and them in the middle of the intersection. Fortunately, the car hit his side of the car. The crash rendered his car undrivable, as was the car of the driver who hit him. Police were called and reports were taken. Because Walter did not know English well, he wasn’t able to tell his version of what happened and although he thought the officer understood him, he found out in the morning when he called his insurance company, that the other driver had said HE blew the light and he was fully responsible. He called my mom super stressed out because his insurance company claimed because the accident was deemed his fault, his coverage would only pay for the other car, but not his own.
He was completely distraught. First, he swears he did not run that light and he was not responsible. But, in essence, his language barrier at the scene unfairly implicated him. In addition, he did not know his insurance coverage would not cover his entire accident. He thought he had purchased full coverage but did not understand the “words” (i.e., terminology) that the insurance broker used when he sold Walther the insurance and he did not purchase the correct insurance.
My mom didn’t know how to help Walter. He did not have the money to repair his own car. He didn’t even have the money to tow his car to a repair shop. After we hung up, I did a little research on the topic, and in the state of California, it is estimated that over 75% of the time, when a non-native speaking Hispanic is involved in a car accident, they are actually not at fault, but the fault is placed on them.
I did a bit more research and discovered the following:
“RESEARCH SHOWS HISPANICS AND LATINOS AT HIGHER RISK OF CAR ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES”
It is estimated that car accidents are a leading cause of death for Hispanics between the ages of 1 and 34.
Research also indicates that Hispanic children in the age gap of 5 to 12 are 72% more likely to die in a car-related accident than their non-Hispanic counterparts.
Research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) suggests that where Hispanics and Latinos live may play a role. This can be referred to as transportation inequity.
Also according to the RWJF, in the Latino community especially, a person’s health may depend on where they live. To be healthy, a person must have access to adequate housing, food, and healthy water. If communities don’t have access to these basic things, their health suffers.
When Latino and Hispanic communities cannot access safe and reliable transportation, their health suffers. The crash data supports this. Not having access to reliable transportation will mean job shortages and lower-cost housing. This economic disparity can also lead to food insecurity.
As I thought about this, it became clear that transportation problems for Hispanics arise under the following conditions:
· Unsafe streets
· Language barrier
· Public transit that is unreliable or unaffordable
· A lack of safe pedestrian & bicycle areas along transit routes
· Lack of reliable transportation opportunities
The data on car accidents and crashes in the Hispanic population is alarming. But even more troubling is the data on how a crash or fatality can impact their lives. In one survey I read, over one in three Latinos said their finances were unstable, and therefore an accident, even one that required a small deductible, would affect their ability to pay rent to house their families. Approximately 50% of Latinos with full-time stable jobs reported that the financial impact of an accident could last over two years.
Worse, 52% of Latinos surveyed say if there was a significant car accident that include a health problem, they don’t know if their insurance would cover it.
In order to remedy this situation for the Hispanic community, I think the following should be mandated:
Spanish-speaking representatives should be available at every insurance company to thoroughly explain coverage.
Insurance documents and instructions should be made available in Spanish
Greater attention should be paid to Hispanic communities to ensure Safe Routes to School (SR2S) for children and safe roads for adult drivers.
Increase public funding for public transit; since the onset of Uber and Lyft, it has become increasingly unreliable or unaffordable.
Police patrol in Hispanic communities should have at least one Spanish-speaking officer to translate for accident victims.
I realize these suggestions may not be viable in the near term, but I believe they would go a long way toward reconciling many of the inequities I have described above.