> I would much rather a more government-backed system, where the government tallies all the automobile-related accident costs at the end of the year and foots the public the bill.

This is pure Moral Hazard. If any cost you may incur is diluted over a pool of over 100,000,000 other people what do you care that you smash up someone elses car? Every $1,000,000 of damage costs you less than a penny. And if you put your car in a ditch the government (read: other people) will buy you a new one and you don't pay a dime...