Quick Fix: Why are there so many uninsured drivers — and how can I protect myself?



Hi, I'm Lauren Fix, longtime automotive journalist and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Welcome back to "Quick Fix," where I answer car-related questions you submit to me.

Today's question comes from Bob in California:

Hi Lauren,

What is the current rate of uninsured motorists? I live in California, and it seems like 1 out every 6 drivers has no insurance. That has to have an enormous impact on insurance costs.

Furthermore, it doesn't seem like in CA they are impounding these cars or attempting to get people to pony up for insurance.

What are your thoughts?

You are correct, Bob: California has a significant issue with uninsured drivers.

According to estimates from the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Insurance Information Institute, approximately 17% of California drivers are uninsured as of 2025. This translates to roughly 4.7 million uninsured motorists out of the state’s 27.65 million licensed drivers.

So your estimate that "1 out of every 6 drivers" lack insurance is spot-on.

It's a big mess, and it's hitting insured drivers hard, inflating premiums and leaving responsible drivers to foot the bill for others' negligence. California's new 2025 liability minimums are a step toward better protection, but they're also pushing premiums up, which could ironically increase the uninsured rate as low-income drivers get priced out. It's a tough cycle to break.

Fines and impoundment are on the books, but they're not aggressively enforced enough to deter the sheer volume of uninsured drivers.

Impounding vehicles sounds effective, but it's costly for authorities and politically sensitive, especially in poor communities. Electronic verification systems could help, but they're only as good as the follow-through — random checks or sting operations might catch more violators.

What can you do to protect yourself as a law-abiding California driver? Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, or UM/UIM, is a must. I'd recommend boosting your UM/UIM limits to at least $100,000/$300,000 or higher if affordable, as medical and repair costs can skyrocket.

To solve this problem, California needs a multipronged approach: tougher enforcement, more impoundments, stricter DMV checks, better access to affordable insurance, and public campaigns to stress the risks of driving uninsured.

Until then, insured drivers like you are stuck subsidizing the system. It's frustrating, but arming yourself with solid coverage and staying vocal about enforcement gaps can make a difference.

And unfortunately, it's not just a problem in California. Across the U.S., about 14% of drivers — roughly 1 in 7 — are uninsured, with states like Washington, D.C. (25%) and New Mexico (25%) leading the pack, driving up premiums for everyone else. Check your state’s uninsured motorist rate and consider adding UM/UIM coverage to protect yourself on the road.


  

Got a car-related question? Email me at getquickfix@pm.me.

Staying sober, one checkpoint at a time



I had my last drink 11 years and one day ago. I was on my way to detox at the local ICU.

With the amounts I was drinking, no rehab facility thought I'd survive detox, so they kept turning me away.

I really wanted to hit that checkpoint. I wanted the officer to ask 'Have you had anything to drink today?'

The ICU said they'd take me, but I needed to stave off the shakes and DTs until I could check in.

So I pounded a half-quart of Johnny Walker Black and drove myself to the ICU. And that was my last drink.

Next exit

I like being sober. And I don't miss the nightmare of alcoholism. But there's something missing.

There's a part of me that's empty, that can't be filled. I keep chasing it, but I never find it.

In the Program (AA), they call that "the God-shaped hole." They'll tell you that the only thing that can fill the emptiness is God and His love and following His plan.

Well ... I've got God in my life. And I'm following His plan to the best of my ability. There's a path. Sometimes it's faint and murky. Sometimes it's hard to find. But I'm on it.

I just keep doing the next right thing and the next right thing after that.

Not only do I have God, I have a career, and family, and friends, and hobbies. And amazing things are happening. For example, I wrote a book, and someone actually published it. That would never have happened when I was drinking.

Don't look back

But the emptiness remains. And I feel driven to fill it. Often I'm overcome by the urge to run. Just burn everything down and go — job, family, everything. Hit the road. Don't look back. Figure it out along the way.

Just go. Just run.

And maybe, I think, I'll find what I'm looking for if I unburden myself. Maybe I'll find a way to fill that hole.

From what I understand, this is a common feeling among recovering addicts and alcoholics. They never stop chasing that high, and everything else is just a letdown.

But I wonder ...

I wonder if that emptiness was always there. That it was ever-present before the drugs and the booze. And the addiction was just a result of me trying to fill that hole.

And maybe there's no way I can shake it. Maybe it's going to be with me forever. And I'm going to have to figure out how to live with it somehow.

But in the Program, they also tell you not to worry about these things. That you only need to live your life one day at a time, because if you don't, it's too overwhelming.

RELATED: Bill W.: Alcoholic who helped himself by helping others

  Bettmann/Getty Images

Rules of the road

So that's what I do. That's how I proceed. I do it one day at a time.

And today I'm fine. Today is a good day. I've got everything I need.

And I'll worry about tomorrow when it comes.

I was coming back from a day of fishing this past weekend. Driving down a mountain road, I saw one of those flashing highway info signs. It flashed "Slow" and then "Sobriety Checkpoint Ahead."

I really wanted to hit that checkpoint. I wanted the officer to ask, "Have you had anything to drink today?"

And I wanted to say, "I haven't had anything to drink since July 7, 2014!"

And then he'd laugh and I'd laugh, and maybe he'd tell me congratulations and then he'd wave me through.

But I didn't get to say my line. Because by the time I got to the checkpoint, they were done for the day, packing up their cones and signs and tables with the breathalyzers.

Oh well. I guess I'll have to do it next year.

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Quick Fix: What's the safest used car for my teenager?



Hi, I'm Lauren Fix, longtime automotive journalist and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Welcome back to "Quick Fix," where I answer car-related questions you submit to me.

Today's question comes from Sarah in Tampa, Florida.

Hi Lauren:

We are helping our teenager buy his first car so he can drive himself to his job this summer. We want something safe, inexpensive, and reliable.

Can you 1) recommend where to look for such a car? And 2) suggest any makes or models that buyers tend to have good luck with?

Thank you!

Great question, Sarah — and I think I've got some good answers for you.

When it comes to buying a used car, dealers are always a good bet: buy a certified pre-owned vehicle and you're protected by a warranty.

If you want buy from a private seller, I recommend you get the vehicle you're considering up on a lift so an ASE certified mechanic can look at. Have him or her give the car one of three rankings:

Green: This means "go," of course. It's well-maintained, no rust, the engine and brakes are in good working order. An easy decision to buy.

Yellow: Cars like this might have been in a minor fender-bender, or have some concerning but repairable issues to deal with. Worth a buy if you know what you're getting into.

Red: Avoid. This includes severe accidents, flood damage, a salvage title, and the kind of problems (transmission, for example) that can cost more than the value of the car.

As far as car safety goes, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) maintains a wealth of ratings online.

Now for where the rubber meets the road. Here are a few of my car recommendations at different price points.

New

  • Kia K4
  • Mazda CX 30
  • Toyota Prius
  • Honda Civic

Used under 20k

  • 2017 Toyota RAV4
  • 2018 Mazda CX 5
  • 2017 Honda CR – V
  • 2021 Toyota Corolla

Used under 15k

  • 2018 Kia Sportage
  • 2019 Kia Soul
  • 2017 Toyota Corolla
  • 2018 Mazda3

And, for some real bargains (keep in mind, however, that with cars 10-15 years old you're sacrificing safety and/or reliability):

Used under 10k

  • 2009 Toyota RAV4
  • 2010 Honda element
  • 2011 Toyota Avalon

Much more information where that came from. Just click the video below:

  

Got a car-related question? Email me at getquickfix@pm.me.

Quick Fix: Why has my car insurance skyrocketed overnight?



Hi, I'm Lauren Fix, longtime automotive journalist and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Welcome back to "Quick Fix," where I answer car-related questions you submit to me.

Today's question comes from Danny in Wiley, Texas.

Hi, Lauren.

Three years ago, I moved my family from Southern California to northeast Dallas suburbs. And we couldn't be happier. We left California in California and haven't looked back.

That said, it was recently time for my insurance renewal, and I had been with AAA — a primary California insurance provider who also services Texas — for 20-plus years.

They were raising our rates by nearly 50%. We were two drivers with two vehicles and zero tickets or accidents.

Yes, our rates were climbing from $4,000 to $6,000 annually, WTF. This has never happened before.

And then we bought a new car and decided we would keep the other two, and they quoted me $9,500, nearly $10,000 a year. Whoa, we had a double take. I spent two hours on the phone with AAA, and in the end, they landed on "our rates have just increased."

Is this really the case, or is it BS?

Note: We have since moved to State Farm, gotten better coverage, and all three vehicles are paying about $4,500 annually. What do you think?

A lot of us feel your pain, Danny. I think we can narrow the rate hike down to a few culprits, from data mining to disaster — but the important thing is you shopped around for a better deal.

Let's check it out in the video below:

  

Got a car-related question? Email me at getquickfix@pm.me.

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Quick Fix: Why can I never fill my gas tank completely full?



Hi, I'm Lauren Fix, longtime automotive journalist and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Welcome back to "Quick Fix," where I answer car-related questions you submit to me. Today's question comes from Don in Longmont, Colorado.

Dear Lauren:

My 2008 Toyota Tundra has a 5.7 liter engine, and I bought it new in 2008. The specs say the gas tank is 26 gallons, however, I've never been able to put more than 22 gallons in it, even when the gas gauge reads empty or E.

Some have said Toyota does this on purpose to keep you from running out, or keep the fuel pump covered to keep it cool, or maybe the gauge is just off. What do you think?

I think you're on the right track, Don. You do not want your car to run out of gas completely — and not just because you'll be stuck somewhere.

Let's get into it in the video below:

  

Got a car-related question? Email me at getquickfix@pm.me.

Trump’s tariff push: What it means for your next car



Here’s a deep dive into the auto world’s latest shake-up.

President Trump just slapped a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and parts — and he’s telling U.S. automakers not to raise prices.

The president said he “couldn’t care less” if foreign automakers raised prices in response to planned tariffs, reasoning that buyers would choose U.S.-made cars over foreign brands.

That all depends on the car. This is a big move, and it’s got everyone talking — CEOs, workers, even Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). So what’s it mean for your next car? I'll break it all down.

Picture this: Early March 2025, Trump’s on the phone with the heavy hitters — Mary Barra from General Motors, John Elkann of Stellantis, Ford’s Jim Farley.

He has a warning. Those new 25% tariffs on imported cars and parts? Swallow the cost. Don't pass it on to the buyers.

Trump's framing it as a win, saying he’s "bringing manufacturing back" and touting how he killed what he calls "Joe Biden’s electric vehicle mandate."

Also: Trust him — in the long run, those tariffs will make the industry "flourish like never before."

But here’s the flip side: Experts say we could see car prices jump by thousands. So what's actually going to happen?

Let’s get into what these tariffs actually do.

Cars assembled in the U.S. with parts from Canada or Mexico that meet the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement deal will have no tariffs.

U.S.-built cars with key parts — like engines or transmissions — from Germany or Japan will have that 25% tariff on those components.

Cars made in Canada or Mexico will have a 25% tax on any non-U.S. parts. Say 50% of a car is U.S.-made, then the other 50% gets hit with the tariff.

Fully imported cars with zero U.S. parts will have a flat 25% tax on the whole vehicle’s value.

Here’s why it matters: 60% of drivetrains, engines, and transmissions come from overseas — Germany, Japan, China, and other countries. Only 19% are made here. Trump wants that flipped and fast.

Not every carmaker’s in the same lane. Ford’s leading the pack — 82% of its U.S.-sold cars are made domestically, though some Lincoln models come from China.

Stellantis (Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, plus their European brands) sit at 57% U.S.-made, 39% from Canada or Mexico, and 4% elsewhere.

General Motors? Just 52% is made here, with 30% from Canada and Mexico, and 18% from other countries. It has the most to worry about.

The White House says half of the cars we buy are already U.S.-made, with imports mostly from Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. But these tariffs could shift that spread.

This isn’t just about cars — it’s national security. Trump and Sen. Moreno say we’ve got to build here, not just assemble foreign parts. Moreno’s been on the phone with CEOs, and he’s fired up: "America can’t just be an assembler — we need to dominate the supply chain." Like in World War II — our factories churned out tanks and planes to win that war.

Moreno says this is the same playbook: Control production, protect the country. He’s got commitments from automakers to ramp up U.S. plants, creating thousands of jobs and rebuilding the middle class.

To ease the pain, Trump’s pushing a tax deduction on auto loan interest for U.S.-made cars. Moreno’s also rolling out the Transportation Freedom Act — one federal rulebook, no more state-by-state chaos like California’s EV mandates that bleed manufacturers dry. Moreno’s emphatic: "This isn’t a short-term bluff — it’s a long-term plan to bring the auto industry back."

Moreno has talked with dealers, too, telling them this is an opportunity for them to do more business, not less. Every car on lots today? Tariff-free. Used car sales? They’ll hold strong. Service departments? They’ll be busy as folks fix up older rides to dodge future price hikes.

The former dealership owner says he knows the auto business is tough, but it will adapt. But Detroit suppliers aren’t so sure — they’re warning part costs will climb, and that could trickle down to us.

What about you, the buyer? Prices might creep up. Ferrari just hiked its 10% — no sweat for the company. And Porsche says its vehicles will increase by 7% due to delivery costs. Mass-market brands might resist to keep you shopping. The smart buyer will compare deals — the research always pays off.

Not everyone’s cheering. Matt Blunt from the American Automotive Policy Council — repping GM and Ford — says it’s "hard to see tariffs not hitting prices eventually." Mike Stanton of the National Auto Dealers Association warns we’ll see fewer options and maybe fewer U.S. jobs. Foreign makers like Honda and Toyota, through Autos Drive America’s Jennifer Safavian, say it’ll make cars pricier and tougher to build here.

But here’s a curveball: The United Auto Workers union — after bashing Trump in 2024 — now loves this. President Shawn Fain calls it "a major step for autoworkers and blue-collar towns," pushing companies to bring union jobs home. Even Oxford Economics’ Abby Samp says automakers might be able to bargain — offering more U.S. factories for lower tariffs.

Trump’s administration says it's playing a long game — and the tariffs stay until 2029. He says it’ll bolster the industry and fill government coffers. Howard Lutnick, secretary of commerce, and Senator Moreno back him up: "Access to our market’s a privilege."

Check this out: Trade is 67% of Canada’s GDP, 73% of Mexico’s, but just 24% of ours. Yet, our 2023 goods trade deficit is over $1 trillion — the world’s biggest. Moreno says past leaders dropped the ball — Trump’s using our clout to put security and workers first.

Economist Dr. Arthur Laffer’s report, "Impact of a 25% Tariff on U.S. Auto Industry," says leaning on Canada and Mexico could save you $2,000 per car while boosting U.S. plants. Foreign brands are eyeing our factories — running at just 65% capacity — and fast permits could get them humming here.

So what’s next? More brands might shift production stateside, some are already moving to do that. Moreno says shuttered plants could quickly reopen. Some cars will cost more — dealers and buyers will adjust.

The White House says USMCA cars might dodge the full hit if they have enough U.S. content — details are still coming. Meanwhile, Moreno’s pushing that tax-deductible auto loan interest bill for American-made vehicles. It’s all about keeping cash in your pocket and jobs on our soil.

There you have it: President Trump is betting big on tariffs to make America an auto powerhouse again. It’s about security, jobs, and maybe your next car payment. Will it drive prices up or factories back? Give us your thoughts down below.

Slammin' Sammy Swindell, the fiercest driver dirt racing has ever seen



Sammy Swindell is a race car driver, a motorsports legend. So naturally, I wanted his opinion on Mario Kart.

"Mario Kart?” he asks, either amused or annoyed; it’s hard to tell with Sammy. “Yeah, I’ve played a little. But racing video games don’t feel real. They don’t give you the full-body experience."

'When the car gets off the ground, you’re not really in control. So I’m trying to figure out where I’m at and where I’m going. I try to get back in control.'

He means it when he describes racing as a full-body experience. His aggressive driving style is what earned him the nickname “Slammin'.”

Precision at any speed

Few figures in sprint car racing command the same level of respect as Sammy Swindell. His work uniform has at various times included sponsorships from STP and Hooters. NASCAR described him as “arguably one of the greatest sprint car drivers ever.”

Born in Bartlett, Tennessee, in 1955, Swindell built a career on raw speed, mechanical precision, and an unmatched competitive fire.

He first turned heads in the 1970s, making a name for himself on dirt ovals across the country. But it was in the World of Outlaws circuit where he cemented his legacy.

  

Over five decades, Swindell has collected hundreds of victories, multiple championships, and a reputation as one of the most talented — if sometimes polarizing — figures in open-wheel racing.

As motorsports site the Driver’s Project notes: “It doesn’t matter if you love him or hate him, when Sammy Swindell shows up at a racetrack, things always get more interesting.”

I chatted with Sammy in early February. He has a reputation for being dry, almost hostile, but as he’s said many times, racing is his job, and he builds his own cars. Most of the time, when someone approaches him, he’s distracted by work. And it happens a lot; in the racing world, he’s a celebrity.

 Swindell at the 1987 Indianapolis 500. Photo courtesy Sammy Swindell

Track tactician

He was more friendly than I expected, but focused, his Tennessee drawl leavened with the stoicism of an engineer-minded athlete. He smiled and laughed a few times but quickly returned to his gravitas.

Halfway through our chat, I realized he’s not grumpy — he’s analytical.

"I've got to meet a lot of really, really smart people," Swindell tells me. He learned a lot from his friend Henry "Smokey" Yunick, the legendary stock car driver, mechanic, engineer, and tactician.

And that’s the word I’ve been grasping for: tactician.

Toward the end of our interview, he showed his cards a little.

I mentioned that in any sport, once you win the biggest prize, everyone studies exactly how you did it — your equipment, your methods, everything is exposed. And the test after that is whether you can win again once everyone else catches up.

Swindell has done this repeatedly. How?

"Part of it is just to keep as much as you can to yourself," he says. "And sometimes, you throw things to make them look somewhere else when the important stuff is over there."

Giant among 'midgets'

I first attended the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2024 while writing a story for Frontier magazine. I fell in love with the chaos and fervor of the event —the Super Bowl of dirt-track racing, drawing 20,000 people to Tulsa from all over the world.

 Swindell at this year's Chili Bowl. Brendan Bauman, courtesy of Sammy Swindell

The indoor midget car race is a brutal test of skill, where conditions change every lap and drivers claw their way through deep fields just to make the main event.

This January, I returned for the 39th annual Chili Bowl, and Swindell was there, as always, drawing a crowd everywhere he walked.

He’s comfortable with the racing press. Once, during a live interview, he paused mid-sentence to bark at someone, “Come back here, you little pisser, POS!”

Swindell has won the Chili Bowl Nationals a record five times, a feat that cements him as one of the greatest dirt racers of all time.

Bryan Hulbert, a motorsports legend in his own right and the Chili Bowl’s announcer, told me that “Sammy’s legacy helped make the Chili Bowl what it is today.”

His dominance as a driver and car owner set the bar higher for everyone racing against him. Hulbert said Swindell’s “ingenuity in car design was ahead of its time,” with others only now starting to catch up. The same goes for sprint car racing — Swindell has “contributed more to the performance and engineering side of the sport than most realize.”

Dirt-track dynasty

Swindell’s father served as president of the club that ran the races around Memphis.

At 15, Sammy began his own racing career at Riverside International Speedway, winning in just his third race.

He won six races that first season. By then, he was already moving through different classes — sprint cars, modifieds, late models — anything with wheels and an engine.

"I looked at it as a job," he tells me. "The better I did, the more rewards I got. More sponsors, more money. It was just about putting everything I had into it to be the best."

Swindell spent two years in college studying physics and engineering before committing to racing full-time.

  

His mechanical instincts gave him an edge over competitors, as he built and fine-tuned his own cars. "I want the car to do the work, and I just guide it. If you can set your car up to do things others can’t, passing them is easy."

A three-time World of Outlaws champion (1981, 1982, 1997), Swindell was a dominant force in sprint car racing for decades.

Despite his intense, no-nonsense approach on the track, his impact extended beyond his own career. He shaped modern sprint car racing through his innovations and mentorship of younger drivers.

Hulbert observes that Swindell “races everyone hard, but not as hard as he raced his son, Kevin.”

Hulbert recalls their first-second finish at the Chili Bowl — his first time announcing the event — and compared it to the fierce battles between brothers, where rivalries produce “some of the most brutal racing you’ll ever see.”

That race came down to the final lap, and Swindell “made his son earn every bit of that win and then some.”

The only other time Hulbert had seen Swindell race with that level of intensity was against Steve Kinser, a rivalry that defined an era of sprint car racing.

Crash course

Crashes are a part of racing. Sprint cars flip. They land hard. Steering wheels and rubber can launch into the bleachers, right over chain link and beer cans.

But Swindell treats wrecks as he treats the rest of racing: as a problem to be solved.

"When the car gets off the ground, you’re not really in control. So I’m trying to figure out where I’m at and where I’m going. I try to get back in control."

He leans toward impacts rather than tensing up. "Some guys try to fight it, but you can’t. You just have to go with the flow."

It’s the same mentality he brings to racing in general.

At 69, Swindell still carries the same philosophy: Win, then move on to the next one. "I never thought of quitting. If I had a bad night, I just wanted to figure it out and do better."

  

I asked him if time slows down in a crash.

"Yeah, sometimes it seems like it takes a half hour, but it’s only a few seconds," he says. "The whole time, I’m just trying to gain control again, or whatever control I might have to make it stop or make it slow down or make it easier on myself and the car."

He pauses.

"I don’t know, maybe that’s just me. I don’t really hear too many people talk about that stuff — what they do in a crash. But yeah, I’m trying to get back in control."

The education of failure

When asked about the races or particular nights he often revisits, Sammy Swindell paused thoughtfully, considering the many tracks he's conquered. He reflected that each victory carries its unique memory, shaped by subtle differences from track to track.

Early in his career with the World of Outlaws, Sammy developed an analytical approach. "I'd look at a new track and ask myself what it reminded me of. If it resembled another place where I'd done well, I'd start with that familiar setup." Yet he emphasized that each track, no matter how similar at first glance, has distinct characteristics — corners, radius, banking — that must be mastered individually.

  

When our conversation shifted to the emotions tied to winning — the celebratory moments exiting the car, hoisting trophies, or holding oversized checks — Sammy offered an intriguing insight.

“Winning simplifies things," he explained. "It means you're not scrambling to repair the car. Your job becomes basic maintenance, setting up for the next race."

Conversely, a poor performance sends him into a meticulous review, examining missteps and setups gone wrong.

“You learn more from the nights things don't go right," Sammy noted thoughtfully. "You discover what's off. It's easier to make mistakes than it is to get everything exactly right."

I found Sammy's perspective refreshing, particularly since many racers admit winning adds pressure to repeat success. But Sammy sees it differently. For him, victory isn't an added burden; it's confirmation that he's met his goal.

"Winning never felt like pressure," Sammy said. "It was always the aim. Once I achieved it, the tension lifted. The next night was simply another chance to do it again."