Campaign to cut down on uninsured drivers launched

A police campaign to cut the number of uninsured drivers on UK roads has been launched.

Forty-three forces will increase their focus on detecting and seizing uninsured cars as part of Operation Drive Insured.

The seven-day initiative is being conducted in partnership with the National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigation (NRPOII) committee.

Commander Kyle Gordon, head of NRPOII, said: “Many people will see uninsured driving as a victimless crime at best, or as only impacting on the profits of large insurance companies at worst. This is not the case.

“We know from our work in roads policing that uninsured drivers are statistically significantly more likely to cause a death or injury on the road, which too often sadly brings devastation to victims, families and communities up and down the country. They are also frequently involved in wider road crime.”

According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), 130 people are killed and 26,000 left injured in crashes caused by uninsured and untraced drivers.

Evidence from MIB has also shown that drivers without insurance are more likely to commit hit and run offences, as well as be involved in other crimes.

MIB claims data has shown that the number of claims for compensation from victims of uninsured drivers has fallen by 26% since 2016.

But there are concerns that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on household finances could cause more people to drive without insurance to save money.

Anna Fleming, chief operating officer at MIB, said: “We’ve made great strides in getting more people to drive insured in recent years, but the sad reality is with Covid-19 putting so many people under financial strain, uninsured driving levels could creep up.

“Everyone suffers the consequences of uninsured driving. We’re fully committed to our partnership with the police so we can get as many people as possible to drive insured to make roads safer and fairer for everyone.”

Motorists found to be driving without insurance face having their vehicle seized and potentially crushed, as well as being hit by a £300 fixed penalty notice and six licence points.

The most serious cases can be taken to court, where offenders can receive an unlimited fine and a driving ban.