#NNPA BlackPress

COMMENTARY: One Year Later, Crash Victims Still Wait for Common-Sense Reform

WASHINGTON INFORMER — For years, Washington, D.C., has struggled to make its streets safer. Under “Vision Zero,” Mayor Muriel Bowser pledged to eliminate traffic deaths entirely. Yet year after year, fatalities rose — peaking last year with 52 lives lost, the highest number in decades.

Published

11 months ago

November 17, 2025

admin

By Joe Russo
Washington Informer

Nearly a year ago, my predecessor Traci Buschner wrote in these pages urging the D.C. Council to raise the District’s outdated auto insurance minimums. Since then, the case for reform has grown stronger, but the council has failed to deliver.

For years, Washington, D.C., has struggled to make its streets safer. Under “Vision Zero,” Mayor Muriel Bowser pledged to eliminate traffic deaths entirely. Yet year after year, fatalities rose — peaking last year with 52 lives lost, the highest number in decades.

This year has looked different. So far in 2025, 18 people have been killed in crashes — a pace far lower than last year’s staggering toll. That progress deserves recognition. But there is another, less visible story unfolding on our streets: according to the D.C. Department of Transportation, serious injuries involving pedestrians are up compared to last year.

Behind those statistics are neighbors who may never fully recover. Crash victims are living with broken bones, spinal injuries, brain trauma. They’re losing months of work, struggling to care for families, and facing long, uncertain roads of rehabilitation. And too often, when they turn to insurance to help cover medical bills, they discover the minimum required coverage in D.C. hasn’t been updated since 1986.

That’s nearly 40 years ago. Back then, a Metro fare was 80 cents, the average car cost $8,000, and you could buy a home for $90,000. The $25,000 in required coverage seemed adequate then. Today, it’s woefully out of date. Adjusted for inflation, $25,000 in 1986 equals about $75,000 now. But when it comes to health care, costs have ballooned much faster. At an average growth of 4.6% a year, that same $25,000 in medical care in the late ’80s would now cost nearly $200,000. And yet, D.C.’s insurance minimums haven’t budged in nearly four decades.

The consequences are devastating. What begins as a traumatic crash often becomes financial ruin, as victims find themselves saddled with tens of thousands in uncovered costs. The annual economic cost of crashes in D.C. exceeds $830 million, yet insurance companies pay only about half of that total. Families, taxpayers, and local hospitals shoulder the rest.

The council knows this. Last December, Council member Kenyan McDuffie held a hearing on the Motor Vehicle Insurance Modernization Act (B26-0057). Even industry voices admitted the obvious: our insurance laws are outdated. “Things need to change,” acknowledged Tom Glassic of the D.C. Insurance Federation. “I remember 1986 pretty well too. So it’s been a while.”

He’s right. And the council must finish the job.

Other jurisdictions are already ahead of us. Virginia, which only began requiring drivers to carry insurance in 2024, raised its minimums to $50,000 per person starting this year. D.C. should not lag behind when it comes to protecting victims.

Some worry about costs. But analysis of industry data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows raising minimums does not automatically increase premiums. In fact, states that modernized their laws saw slower growth in premiums than the national average. Updating our law will not make insurance unaffordable — but it will make coverage meaningful.

What makes the industry’s scare tactics even more frustrating is that premiums have risen sharply and regularly since 1986 (up 35% from January 2022 to the end of 2024 alone) while the coverage required by law has stayed frozen in time. With each hike, insurers pocket more while delivering less value. The truth is, raising minimums wouldn’t create a new burden for consumers, it would finally ensure families are getting something meaningful in return for the premiums they already pay.

And let’s be clear: This is an equity issue. Serious crashes disproportionately harm residents of Wards 7 and 8 — communities that are majority-Black and lower-income. Leaving insurance coverage stuck at 1986 levels is yet another way we fail to protect those most at risk.

Traffic fatalities may be down this year. But rising injuries are still devastating families. The D.C. Council has studied the problem, held a hearing, and heard from victims, experts, and even insurers. Now, it must act.

It has been nearly a year since The Informer first published our call to modernize auto insurance minimums. The need has only grown clearer since then. It’s time for the council to pass B26-0057 and ensure that when tragedy strikes, crash victims are not left to suffer alone.

Joe Musso is the president of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.

admin

Posts by admin

Up Next

Her First Years, My Everything

Don't Miss

Celebrate What’s Right Luncheon Highlights Memphis’ Downtown Growth, Safety and Civic Pride

admin

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

Published

2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

Experience the difference smooth suspension makes on rough streets. Check out the surprisingly good second-row legroom – test it yourself for true comfort.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/l9Z571za5Gc

#AutoNetwork

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

Visit Our Website

Home – updated

Read more stories by our team
https://defendernetwork.com/category/news/opinion/

Sign-up for the Top 5 newsletter

Defender Newsletters

Donate/ Support Our Work

Contribute to the Defender Network

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

2 weeks ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.